


A World of Darkness

by KeybladeJediMaster, Yer_Erster



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Albus in the Dark AU, Albus needs a hug, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Death Eaters, Dementors, Heavy Angst, Hurt Albus Severus Potter, Minor Character Death, Pain, Scorpius Needs a Hug, Suffering, The Augurey - Freeform, The Blood Ball, Torture, Unforgivable Curses, a world of hurt, dark au, depictions of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:55:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 101,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21741307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeybladeJediMaster/pseuds/KeybladeJediMaster, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yer_Erster/pseuds/Yer_Erster
Summary: After their first catastrophic attempt at saving Cedric Diggory with the Ministry of Magic’s time turner, Albus and Scorpius go back in time once again, only this time they have created a world in which Voldemort rules and Harry Potter is dead. So, how is Albus still with Scorpius?OrAlbus is brought to the Dark AU alongside Scorpius
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter
Comments: 47
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

As the ripples from the shift in time coursed through the water and Ludo Bagman’s commentary faded from his ears, Scorpius burst from the surface of the Black Lake with a sputtering cough. The ice cold water burned his skin like fire and his teeth were chattering from the chill, but Scorpius hardly noticed it as he shook his waterlogged hair from out of his eyes, a ridiculous grin spreading across his face.

“Whoooo-hoooooo! We did it!” Scorpius looked around for Albus when he didn’t get a response like he expected. “Albus?” A pit of dread settled in Scorpius’ stomach as he was met with nothing but the sound of the wind through the trees and water lapping at the shore of the lake. As he spun in a circle trying to spot his best friend, Scorpius felt a chill settle deep in his chest that had nothing to do with the frigid lake he was submerged in. Seeing nothing but the dark rippling water, he took a deep breath and dove under the surface and began reaching around in a blind panic. 

_ What’s going on? Where’s Albus? Why isn’t he here? Where’s ALBUS? _

Finding nothing, Scorpius re-surfaced with a gasp. “Albus?”

_ What happened?  _ Scorpius could feel his breath begin to quicken.  _ Oh god, did something in the lake grab him? _ A truly nasty thought crept into his panicked mind.  _ Did… did Albus get left behind? _ Scorpius paddled around in another circle, desperately scanning the water before calling out again. “AL-” His cries were abruptly cut off when he felt something from the depths of the lake grab onto his ankle. With a horrible shriek, Scorpius wrenched his ankle free and floundered for his wand, numb fingers unable to grasp the handle properly. However, his fear was quickly replaced with relief when Albus surfaced next to him, cackling like a mad man. 

“What I wouldn’t have given to have seen the look on your face!” Albus laughed, shaking waterlogged hair from his eyes. “ That was close! Did you see that Merman? The guy with the -- and then the thing with the -- whoa! ”

Scorpius couldn’t help but let his irritation at being scared melt away as he watched Albus’ excited rambling with a fond smile. “You absolute berk, do you know how worried you had me?” Albus continued to chuckle as he swam up to Scorpius and grabbed a hold of his shoulder. 

“Oh you can’t stay mad at me for long and you know it.” 

“Do you really want to test that theory?” Scorpius shot back, kicking out at Albus’ ankle with a lighthearted smile. Despite the frigidness of the lake, he couldn’t help but feel warmth blossom in his chest at the sight of Albus’ laughing face. It was then that Scorpius noticed that Albus was still wearing red and gold. Not what he had expected to see. 

_ Wait...but If Albus is still in Gryffindor...then what- _

“Hem, hem.”

Both boys whipped around at the sudden new voice. Standing on the shore of the lake was an unfamiliar figure. A rather squat woman with overly teased lavender hair and garish pink and frilly robes was standing there looking at Scorpius with a look of mild disgust on her heavily powdered face. 

“Scorpius Malfoy. Get out of the lake. Get out of the lake. Right now.” Scorpius shared a quick glance of confusion with Albus. The woman spoke with a high-pitched girlish voice which only served to unsettle Scorpius even more.

“Excuse me miss,” he began, swimming closer to the edge of the lake, “I’m sorry but I don’t-”

“Miss?” The woman interrupted with a sickly sweet giggle. “ I'm Professor Umbridge, the headmistress of your school, I'm no "Miss."

_ Professor Umbridge?  _ Scorpius recoiled slightly, feeling Albus tense behind him.  _ But...Dolores Umbridge was removed from Hogwarts over twenty years ago. If she’s here, then... _

“You're the headmistress? But I . . . ” Scorpius stammered before pulling himself up and out of the lake. Albus followed closely behind. The boys reflexively moved towards each other as Professor Umbridge sized them up, her beady eyes scanning their faces.

“I am the headmistress, yes, and however important your family may be -- it doesn't give you an excuse to dillydally, to mess about. And - w ait just a moment,” Umbridge tutted as she suddenly drew her wand and pointed it at Albus. Scorpius’ eyes widened in horror as he instinctively threw himself in front of Albus, who stepped back and reached for his own wand.

_ What’s going on? What is she trying to do?  _ Albus tensed at the sight of Scorpius putting himself between him and the Umbridge woman.  _ Umbridge… Umbridge… where have I heard that name before? _

“Scorpius! Why didn’t you tell me that you caught another filthy mudblood!” Umbridge said gleefully as her face lit up with a horrible grin. “Oh! This is such a wonderful treat for Voldemort Day! Now get out of the way Scorpius, I can handle it from here.”

“Mudblood? Voldemort Day?” Scorpius asked incredulously as he gave Albus a nervous glance. He could feel terror beginning to claw its way up his throat. “I’m sorry miss - headmistress I mean, but I don’t -” 

“Wait what are you going on about?” Albus sputtered, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

_ Be careful, Albus.  _ Scorpius thought desperately. _ I don’t know what happened, but something tells me we’ve done something horrible by going back to the second task. _

Professor Umbridge took a step towards the boys, never taking her eyes off of Albus. “You heard me, Mr. Malfoy. Get out of the way. Now.” Sensing the imminent danger they were in, Albus drew his wand and pointed it towards Umbridge. Scorpius could see his hand shaking. 

_ Umbridge… Umbridge… Wait, I remember. That’s the professor that gave my Dad those scars on the back of his hand. _ Albus tightened his grip on his wand even as he felt the fear pooling in his stomach.  _ Why is she here? What happened? _

“Look, I don’t know what you’re going on about,” Albus spit out. “But I -”

“Expelliarmus!” Umbridge shouted suddenly. Albus let out a startled sound as his wand spun through the air and into her stubby-fingered hand. “There.” she said with a simpering laugh as she slid Albus’ wand into a pocket of her robes. “Now I think it’s time you come with me.”

“Why should I? What’s going on!?” Albus stepped out from behind Scorpius and stared at Umbridge with a defiant scowl. Scorpius tensed as he felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to prickle uncomfortably. The air around them was growing significantly colder and he could now clearly see both of their panicked breaths drifting through the moonlight. 

_ This is going to go from bad to worse… Albus isn’t thinking, and he certainly doesn’t know when to stop.  _ Scorpius’ eyes darted over to the treeline.  _ And...something else is listening...  _ He opened his mouth to begin to try and continue to talk their way out of this mess, but was cut off by a sudden screech.

“Incarcerous!” Before Scorpius could so much as blink, thick ropes shot out of Professor Umbridge’s wand and wrapped themselves tightly around Albus’ wrists. Albus cried out as they continued to wrap themselves tighter and tighter, biting into his skin.

“Wait! Miss!” Scorpius cried jumping in front of Albus, trying to protect his defenseless friend as best as he could without drawing a wand. “I mean, Headmistress. Please, I -” 

“Mr. Malfoy!” Umbridge snapped. “I don’t care how important your family may be— it doesn’t give you an excuse for this frankly pathetic attempt at continuing to interrupt me. You’ve already done more than enough by apprehending this thing when you did.” 

_ I’ve got to give her what she wants or we are both going to die here. _ Scorpius took a deep, shuddering breath and straightened up.  _ Just give her what she wants and figure out the rest later. _

“Now step aside, Scorpius.”

Scorpius looked at Albus, imploring him wordlessly. _Trust me, Albus. This isn’t going to be easy. Please be careful_. After what felt like forever, Albus nodded, his expression grim and resigned. Scorpius forced himself to move aside, schooling his expression into something colder and more detached. _I need to be what she expects me to be. Which apparently isn’t someone very nice..._ Scorpius bit the inside of his cheek so hard he could taste blood as the professor closed the gap between them and got far too close to Albus’ face. Scorpius felt his stomach turn as Umbridge stared at Albus, looking him up and down like he was something that she had scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

“Disgusting creature.” she breathed, before her eyes widened in an emotion that Scorpius couldn’t place. Albus winced, shooting a stubborn glare back at Umbridge.

_ Ooooh, bad, bad, bad. _ Scorpius felt as if he were rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to be useful in any way.

“Funny, My dad said the same thing about you.” Albus bit back with a snide grin as he tugged experimentally at the ropes around his wrists. Said you were the worst sort of witch out there.” Scorpius watched as Umbridge’s face went an alarming shade of puce before she slashed her wand through the air with an indignant shriek. 

_ No, no Albus, don’t be stupid!  _ Scorpius could barely hold back his sound of alarm as blood gushed from Albus’ face as if he had been slashed at with an invisible sword. Albus staggered backwards with a sharp cry as he tried to stop the flow of blood with his bound hands. 

“You will learn some respect, filthy mudblood.” Umbridge said shrilly.

“Doubt it.” Albus responded as he spat the blood pouring from the deep wound across his face onto the ground near Umbridge’s shoes.

“And yet…” Umbridge whispered, her voice suddenly terrifyingly calm, “You almost look familiar to me… Something about you…” Scorpius could do nothing but stand there gaping at Albus’ gall. 

_ Your family Gryffindor is showing. _ He couldn’t help but think.  _ Stop being such a reckless idiot. This is bad. This is bad bad BAD. I have to do something. I have to. _ Scorpius was snapped from his thoughts by a yelp from Albus, who was staring Umbridge down from between bloody fingers.  _ Wait... _

“If you’ll excuse me, headmistress.” Scorpius spoke up. “I’m a little bit confused. I don’t quite understand why we’re hunting down a fellow student and using that kind of magic against them.” Scorpius held back a shiver as he thought about Albus’ bloody face. “Surely the head of Magical Law Enforcement would take some issue with that.” Scorpius felt his stomach clench when Umbridge merely giggled, her shrill tone setting his nerves on edge.

“Why you silly boy, did you hit your head down in that lake or something? Why would your father of all people have a problem with his son helping rid our world of those undeserving of existing in it?”

Scorpius froze, unable to comprehend the words that Umbridge was saying. A horrible high-pitched ringing sound had begun to echo through his mind and all he could do was stutter, “My-my father? But, my father isn’t a Ministry worker. Harry Potter is…” Scorpius felt his voice trail off in a pathetic whisper at the look Umbridge fixed him with at the mention of Harry Potter.

“Have you swallowed something funny in that lake? Become a Mudblood without any of us noticing? Harry Potter died over twenty years ago as part of that failed coup on the school. He was one of those Dumbledore terrorists we bravely overthrew at the Battle of Hogwarts.” She marched forward and jabbed her wand at Albus’ face, who instinctively flinched back and glanced at Scorpius with a look of panic. “Now come along -- I don't know what game you're playing but you're upsetting the dementors and entirely ruining Voldemort Day.”

“D-dementors?” Scorpius asked weakly as he felt his attention being drawn away from what was happening in front of him, and up to the nightmare that was materializing from the treeline behind. 

Floating down from the darkness were three cloaked figures that Scorpius had hoped to never encounter. Their slow rattling breaths joined the ringing in his ears as Scorpius took an unintentional step towards Albus, who had gone white as a sheet and was beginning to shiver uncontrollably. An intense cold swept over them as Scorpius finally understood why they couldn’t seem to warm up even after getting out of the freezing water of the lake. 

“No...no….” Albus mumbled as he attempted to back away from the dementor that was closing in on him. Scorpius shook his head as a thick white fog started to cloud his vision. Someone was screaming… someone was calling his name. He needed to follow the voice, he needed to help them, he -

“Now Scorpius, shall we head back to the castle?” Umbridge’s horrible, sickly sweet voice pierced through the ringing and Scorpius jolted in alarm. “I’ll take care of this  _ filth _ and you head back to the castle to get cleaned up. I cannot wait to write to the Augurey about your achievements.” Her smug grin made Scorpius’ stomach turn violently. 

_ I can’t just leave. I can’t. Who knows what she’ll do? _ Scorpius glanced back at Albus in a panic, his attempt at appearing cold and aloof forgotten. He was met with a shared expression of dread, but underneath Scorpius could see determination burning in Albus’ eyes. 

_ “Go.” _ Albus mouthed while jerking his head towards the castle behind them. Scorpius stared back in wide-eyed terror at what Albus was asking of him, unable to force his body to move away from his best friend. 

“I...I…” he stammered, searching Albus’ face for answers he knew that neither of them had. 

“Mr. Malfoy, I do believe that you were given an order.” Umbridge snapped. “You really are trying my patience today.” Scorpius looked back and forth between Albus and Umbridge frantically, heart pounding so hard he felt like he was going to burst. 

_ I can’t, I can’t, I can’t... What do I do? What do I do? _ Then Scorpius felt a wave of unnerving calm wash over him as the answer floated into his mind.  _ Survive. I do whatever it takes to make sure we survive. _

Scorpius took a deep breath and made the hardest decision he had ever had to make. He turned his back on Albus and began to run up the path to the school as fast as his legs would take him. As he ran, he reached down to clutch at the time turner he had managed to stuff into his pocket.  _ What sort of mess have we gotten ourselves into this time?  _ Scorpius ground to a halt when he heard Albus cry out, and whipped around before he could stop himself. Albus had tripped over a rock jutting out of the ground that he had been unable to see through the blood that was still dripping into his eyes, and was being dragged to his feet by Umbridge’s squat fingers tangled in his hair.

Scorpius made to run back to his friend’s aid, but was stopped by a sharp look from Umbridge. “Mr. Malfoy. Do not make me ask you again. I will handle this.” Scorpius gulped and took a reluctant step back.

_ Whatever it takes to survive. _

“Yes, Headmistress.” he forced out, the words bitter on his tongue, before turning back and bolting towards Hogwarts looming in the distance.  _ What are we going to do? What am  _ **_I_ ** _ going to do?  _ Scorpius panted as he continued to push himself to go as fast as he could, despite not being someone who was accustomed to running anywhere. 

The events of the night were beginning to catch up to him and Scorpius could feel a steady tremble start to take over his hands.  _ Bad, bad, bad…  _ Once he was sure he as out of sight, he skidded to a stop and quickly threw himself behind a tree, curling up in a ball on the forest floor. Teeth chattering, Scorpius buried his face in his knees as he struggled to breathe through his rapidly closing throat. A low whine managed to force its way out as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried his hardest to simply melt into the tree at his back so that he could just disappear from this horrible place. __

_ I can’t stay here.  _ He thought desperately as thin tears began to streak down his cheeks.  _ I need to pull it together. I can do this.  _ But try as he might, Scorpius couldn’t seem to regain control of his violent shivering.  _ Just breathe, Scorpius. Breathe.  _ And so he did. 

Scorpius sat tucked up against the tree until his fingers went numb from the cold. He let the sounds of the forest wash away the awful heavy breathing of the dementors and the cries of pain that his best friend had made. He stayed until his breaths stopped catching in his chest and the tears dried on his face, leaving uncomfortable tracks of salt down his cheeks. With a determined huff, Scorpius pulled himself up onto unsteady legs, brushed the leaves and twigs from his damp clothing, squared his shoulders and continued along the path back to the school. 

Once he reached the iron gates, Scorpius had managed to take all his fear and worry and panic and tuck it deep into a dark corner of his mind, locking it away to be dealt with when it was safe to do so.

_I’ve got to have some sort of a plan here._ Scorpius thought as he passed through the strangely unprotected gates and through to the doors of the castle. _Ok, step_ _one. Determine how and why Harry Potter died. Step two. How did Cedric failing at the second task result in...well...this. Step three… Find Albus and keep him alive. That’s not at all scary. This is fine. Everything is going to be just fine._ Scorpius held back a hysterical laugh as he finally pushed open the great wooden doors and found himself in another Hogwarts completely.

As Scorpius’ footsteps echoed throughout the cold stone hallways, he knew right away that this was not the Hogwarts he knew and loved. There were hardly any paintings left on the walls, and those that remained depicted such foul looking faces that Scorpius had to suppress a shiver and stare at his feet instead. The usual warm and inviting torch light was dim and cold, the blue flamed torches casting exaggerated shadows across the sharp stone walls. 

And it was quiet. 

So bloody quiet that Scorpius was deafened by the sound of his own shaky breathing. There were no ghosts floating through the walls, no other students passing by, no professors on their way to class. Even the suits of armor remained motionless, their cold metal faces cast in sinister shadows by the strange blue torches.

Nothing.

_ Maybe if I go to sleep, I’ll wake up and this will all have been a terrible nightmare. _ Scorpius tried to convince himself as he made his way past the Great Hall. Glancing in stopped him in his tracks, however, as he took in the sight of nothing but green and silver Slytherin banners. The four great hourglasses that would have been along the wall behind him were gone, replaced by decree after educational decree that stretched from floor to ceiling. Scorpius found himself unable to turn away as he realized what sort of things were written on the wall.

Any and all students are subject to search and seizure.

Any student admission must be approved by Headmistress Dolores Umbridge.

No student organizations, societies, teams, groups and clubs may exist without the knowledge and approval of the Headmistress.

The Headmistress will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions and removal of privileges pertaining to students of Hogwarts, and the power to alter such punishments, sanctions and removals of privileges as may have been ordered by other staff members.

Scorpius backed away in horror, feeling the blood draining from his face.  _ What kind of a school is this? _ A sudden shriek echoed throughout the halls, causing Scorpius to jump in alarm, head whipping around wildly to try and determine where the sound was coming from. Seeing no one around, Scorpius tore himself away from the wall of decrees and bolted towards the Slytherin common room.

_ Get to your bed. Just get in your bed and you can figure this all out. _ Scorpius panted as he sped down the stairs, taking them two at a time. As he neared the entrance to the common room, another thought crossed his mind.  _ Bloody hell, I don’t know what the password is! How am I going to get in without anyone wondering why I don’t know it? It seems like I exist in this world, so naturally I should know the password to my own dorm…. _

He stopped to breathe for a moment.  _ Think, Scorpius. You’re good at thinking after all. In this dreadful nightmare Hogwarts what would be the most logical password for the Slytherin common room?  _

“Pure-blood” Scorpius exhaled. As he assumed and dreaded, the door swung open and Scorpius scrambled inside, shutting the door behind him.  _ At least the common room looks the same. _ Scorpius thought bitterly. He didn’t trouble himself with giving the common room more than a passing glance before heading straight to what _ should _ be his dormitory. When he got there he only found one bed, and a trunk emblazoned with the letters S.H.M. It was definitely all too much to unpack right now.   
  


Without even bothering to remove his damp swimming trunks, Scorpius collapsed onto his bed with a shaky groan. With a half-hearted flick of his wand, he pulled the curtains closed, burrowed under the heavy covers, and curled into the smallest ball possible, wishing for nothing more than to be woken up by a pillow to the face from a grinning Albus and that the time turner burning a hole in his pocket would turn out to be nothing more than a dreadful nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2

Albus watched as Scorpius disappeared into the treeline, heart pounding heavily against his ribs. _Scorpius is safe for now… I think._ Albus briefly allowed himself to be comforted by that thought before he was painfully reminded of his situation by a sharp tug at his hair. Albus hissed as he regained his footing, thoughts racing a mile a minute. _This is bad._ He risked a glance in Umbridge’s direction, and was immediately met with such a look of disgust that he found himself shrinking away. _She said that Dad was… but what about Mum? And Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron?_

Despite his horrible situation, Albus felt himself bristling under Umbridge’s constant glare, and snapped, “Sorry, do I have something stuck in my teeth?” He immediately regretted his decision when Umbridge puffed up like a toad and yanked his head back so far that it felt like she was going to try and slit his throat.

“I don’t think you quite appreciate the gravity of your situation.” she said, her voice menacing and sharp. “Mudbloods aren’t allowed to be in possession of a wand, and yet,” she tapped Albus’ cheek with her own, mockingly, “I see you’ve managed to get your grubby little hands on one.” Albus felt his temper spark as he grit his teeth in frustration. “Which witch or wizard did you steal this from?”

“No one.” Albus retorted stubbornly. “It chose me. I bought it from Ollivanders just like everyone else.”

“LIAR.” Umbridge shrieked, flinging Albus away from her with surprising strength. He landed on his back with a thud, having no free hands to catch himself with. “Wands don’t choose filth.”

“I don’t know what you’re going on about!” Albus bit back, feeling his cheeks heat up with anger. “I’m a student at this school!”

“I know each and every student at this school, and you are most assuredly not one of them.” Umbridge said coldly. “However, you remind me an awful lot of another nasty little liar, and he certainly came to a rather sticky end.” 

_Dad…_ Albus thought with a jolt. _She’s talking about Dad. What sticky end? What is she talking about?_

“Now get up.” For the second time that night, Albus struggled to his feet, making sure to glare at Umbridge the entire time. “Now, you are going to march yourself into that castle and do as you’re told.” 

“And if I don’t?” Umbridge stalked over to Albus, who forced himself to stand stock still instead of flinching back like his mind was screaming at him to do. 

“Then there is more where that came from.” Umbridge flicked her wand casually and Albus felt a sharp sting radiate from the wound across his face. “So I suggest you walk. Now.”

_Don’t be reckless._ Albus could almost hear Scorpius’ voice echoing in his head. _Think before you do anything. Be safe._ With enormous effort, Albus turned and slowly began making his way up the path towards the castle. _I need to trust that Scorpius has a plan._

Umbridge remained quiet for the duration of their walk, only the faint rustling of the wind through the trees and the sound of her ragged breathing broke the oppressive silence. The dementors had drifted off once they had left the lake behind, much to Albus’ relief. 

_I never really liked the sight of school to begin with._ Albus thought wryly as he glanced up at the castle looming ahead of him. _It looks even worse now._ The windows that usually glowed with a warm and inviting light were mostly dark now, casting the many towers and spires into ominous shadow. 

Albus felt an ache in his chest when he remembered seeing this sight with Scorpius only a few days ago. 

_“And there it is . . .” Albus looked up at the sound of Scorpius’ slightly hushed voice. He followed his friend’s awestruck gaze and found himself stopping to stare as well, because there in front of them was Hogwarts castle. Every window was lit with a splendid glow, the lights reflected on the lake like the most breathtaking starry sky._

_“Hogwarts.” Albus nodded, unable to help but be awed by the sight. “Never seen this view of it before.” He felt his face split into an uncontrollable grin._

_“Still get a tingle, don't you? When you see it?” Scorpius asked with a wistful smile as he rocked back on his heels, unable to tear his eyes away from the view._

_The two of them stood in comfortable silence for a moment, simply enjoying seeing this with each other, and Albus felt as if some of the heartache of the past few days was softening in the warm glow. Then Scorpius continued. “From the moment I first heard of it, I was desperate to go. I mean, Dad didn't much like it there but even the way he described it . . .” Scorpius glanced at Albus sheepishly. “From the age of ten I'd check the Daily Prophet first thing every morning -- certain some sort of tragedy would have befallen it -- certain I wouldn't get to go.”_

_“And then you got there and it turned out to be terrible after all.” Albus nudged Scorpius’ shoulder with his own._

_“Not for me.”_

_Albus turned to stare at Scorpius, not at all expecting his friend’s quiet response. Surely Scorpius didn’t think that the school full of people who called him the son of Voldemort was anything but terrible._

_“All I ever wanted to do was go to Hogwarts and have a mate to get up to mayhem with. Just like Harry Potter.” Albus couldn’t help the wince his father’s name pulled out of him, especially hearing Scorpius compare their friendship with what his Dad had when he was in school. “And I got his son. How crazily fortunate is that.”_

_“But I'm nothing like my dad.” Albus cut in quickly._

_“No, you're better.” Scorpius had stopped looking at the illuminated castle and was now staring at him with such sincerity that Albus found himself unable to look away. “You're my best friend, Albus. And this,” Scorpius began to fumble for his pocket, nervously extracting the Time-Turner. “This is mayhem to the nth degree. Which is great, thumbs-up great, it's just --,” At this, Scorpius’ face fell and Albus could immediately see the anxiety creeping into his friend’s eyes as he began to speak more rapidly. “I have got to say -- I don't mind admitting -- I am a tiny bit -- just a tiny bit scared.”_

_Albus looked at Scorpius, dorky, awkward, wonderful Scorpius, and smiled._

_“You're my best friend too. And don't worry -- I have a good feeling about this.”_

_Good feeling my ass…_ Albus thought darkly, trying to cling on to the memory of Scorpius’ face as he called him his best friend. He took a deep shuddering breath in an attempt to dislodge the lump forming in his throat. His fingers had already gone numb from how tight the ropes were, but the numbness seemed to be spreading throughout his limbs and into his chest. 

The closer they got to the castle, the further Albus retreated into his head, trying desperately to make some sense of his current situation. The air around him felt thick and soupy, and he struggled to draw breath into his seizing lungs. His head was buzzing with such a high pitched ringing that he didn’t even notice that they had passed through the school’s iron gates and enormous wooden doors until Umbridge jammed her wand into the small of his back.

Albus couldn’t muster up even the weakest of snide comments at the grim sight of the transformed Hogwarts he was now standing in. Cold stone walls lit by blue-flamed torches cast ghastly shadows dancing across the eerie suits of armor that lined the entryway. What stopped Albus in his tracks, however, was what now adorned the largest wall in the entrance hall.

The entire wall, from floor to ceiling was now scarred with a carved mural of what Albus could only assume was the Battle of Hogwarts. The castle was burning, the chiseled flames looked so real that Albus nearly expected to feel their heat. Cloaked shadows almost seemed to be moving in the ghostly pale light, their carved figures swarming the school.

Above them all stood the horrible visage of Voldemort himself, his horrid eyes burning with a bloody light. Albus felt his stomach lurch when he recognized the figure that Voldemort was standing over. His Dad, who looked terrifyingly like Albus himself, was lying in a crumpled heap beneath Voldemort’s feet. And the longer that he stared, the more faces that he began to recognize. There was Uncle Ron, and Aunt Hermione under the feet of a crazed looking witch that Albus couldn’t quite place. Yet Albus found himself being drawn back to staring at his Dad, nausea building more and more the longer he looked, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn away. 

_W-what happened…?_ Albus felt his vision begin to blur. _What did I do?_

He could only stare in transfixed horror as he allowed Umbridge to steer him past the Great Hall, decorated only in green and silver, and down the staircase that led to the dungeons.

But instead of turning towards the Slytherin dorms like Albus so wished he could, Umbridge roughly steered him in the opposite direction, deeper into the center of the castle. Here, the air was dank and stale, the scent of mold and rot mixing with something metallic that Albus couldn’t quite place. They rounded a corner into a long stretch of a hallway lined with rough wooden doors that Albus couldn’t remember ever seeing in Hogwarts. Umbridge marched him down to a far door on the left which creaked open with a wave from her wand. 

“Nice place you’ve got here.” Albus quipped, very intent on delaying his inevitable entrance to the ominous new room and unable to control his mouth. “Could really do with a bit of a sweep, though. Don’t you think?” With a burst of swift movement, Umbridge shoved Albus into the room with a surprising amount of strength. The sudden momentum caused him to trip over his own feet and tumble to the ground with a painful thud. 

“If I were you, I wouldn begin to really think about your situation here.” Umbridge said with a sickeningly sweet giggle. “Now rest up. We have so much to talk about tomorrow.” She gave her wand a brief flick and Albus instinctively cringed, only to feel a wave of relief when the ropes around his wrists disappeared. “And I suggest you give me the information I want because I am going to be the kindest face you see from here on out.” Albus glared at her from his spot on the floor as she gave him one last strange glance before turning on her heel and leaving, cell door locking behind her with a final thud. 

Albus screamed in frustration when the clicking of Umbridge’s heels had faded into the distance. _What have I done?_ He rubbed at his wrists absently, bruises already beginning to form where the enchanted rope had bit into his skin.

As he backed into a corner and sank to the floor, the reality of what had happened hit him like a sledgehammer. _I didn’t fix anything._ Albus looked around the tiny cell with a rapidly numbing sense of detachment. _I...I’ve killed everyone._

The room in which he had been locked was small and filthy, the stone walls coated in grime and some other dark colored stains that Albus was too afraid to get a closer look at. The floor, which appeared to be earthen at first, on closer inspection revealed itself to actually be stone underneath the accumulated filth of who knows how long. 

A distant scream reverberated from somewhere deeper in the dungeons, and Albus couldn’t suppress the intense shiver that ripped through his body. “Ok, so I’m trapped in a twisted Hogwarts full of Death Eaters, my parents are dead, and Voldemort is alive. This is fine. Everything is going to be fine,” Albus said, his voice hollow.

When a sudden and terrible chill washed over him, Albus simply shrank further into the corner. He didn’t need to get up and look to know that dementors were nearby. A white fog began to eat at the corners of his vision and awful voices echoed through his head.

_Well, there are times I wish you weren't my son._

_I suppose his hair isn't that similar._

_Albus Potter, the Slytherin Squib_

_Albus Potter. An irrelevance. Even portraits turn the other way when he comes up the stairs._

_Well, there are times I wish you weren't my son._

“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP.” Albus shouted as he pressed his hands to his ears with all his might. “Just stop it. Leave me alone!” His voice echoed weakly throughout the stone room. Another voice joined the ones in his head, this one sly and mocking.

_You brought this upon yourself,_ it hissed. _You wouldn’t be in this mess if you hadn’t felt the need to be a hero._ Albus tucked his face into his knees with a low whine.

“Stop it...please.”

_It’s your fault that your Mum and Dad are dead._ It continued. _You ruined everything. And it’s thanks to you that Scorpius is now stuck here as well._ Albus flinched at the thought of his best friend’s name, curling impossibly further into himself. It was so cold. The cold has seeped into his bones, and he couldn’t stop shivering. The walls were closing in, and Albus squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to ignore the voices that had returned, whispering awful things in his mind. 

_________________________________________________

Scorpius woke up the next morning and for a moment, nothing was wrong. He was in his bed in the Slytherin dorms, and Albus would need to be woken up any minute now if they wanted to get to breakfast on time before their first class. With an exhausted groan, Scorpius buried his face in his pillow and stretched, thoughts already on what sort of marmalade he would have first, when his hand bumped into something cold and metallic beneath his pillow.

All at once, the events of the day before crashed into Scorpius’ head and he bolted upright with a gasp. _The time turner, Cedric Diggory, the dementors, Umbridge, Voldemort Day… Albus._ Scorpius looked around wildly as he tried to get a grip on his situation. There didn’t appear to be anyone else currently in the dorm to witness his panic. In fact, he noticed with a puzzled glance, there weren’t even any other beds in the room. _Do I… do I have a room all to myself?_ Scorpius cautiously slid to the floor and tiptoed around the bed, taking stock of where everything was. _Well, all the better to have a mental breakdown in I suppose._ A dry snort escaped his throat before he could stop it. _Pull yourself together._ Scorpius gave his head a firm shake. _You need to keep your wits about you if you’re going to get both Albus and yourself home._

The thought of Albus and home caused his throat to become thick and eyes begin to prickle uncomfortably. With a miserable groan, Scorpius flopped back onto his bed and hung his head, trying to rub the moisture out of his eyes. It was then that he noticed he was still wearing his clothing from the night before. _Well, I can’t very well spend the rest of the day still dressed in swimming trunks now can I._

With enormous effort, Scorpius went to the trunk at the foot of his bed, intent on changing into the biggest and comfiest sweater he could find. Anything to hide the trembling in his hands that he couldn’t get to stop no matter how hard he tried. Much to his disappointment, the trunk only appeared to contain clothing that was completely unfamiliar. All black and stiff and sharply tailored with extreme lines and severe details. Scorpius couldn’t hide his disdainful grimace as he pulled a harsh looking black robe up to eye level and shook it out.

_I suppose this is what students wear now._ Scorpius quickly changed into the new-found robes, trying not to think about what their snake-like silhouette implied. Already, he felt like it was a chore to breathe, and the stiff new robes certainly weren’t helping the situation. He hastily shoved the time turner into an inner pocket of the robes before grabbing his wand off the bedside table where he had carelessly thrown it the night before. The pale worn wood was comforting in his hand, and Scorpius couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of relief at the familiarity of it.

_What do I need to do first?_ Scorpius twirled his wand between his fingers as he began to think back to his plan from the night before. _First, figure out how Harry Potter died. Except they really don’t seem to like it when you mention Harry Potter here... It must have something to do with Cedric Diggory. That’s the only explanation. History changed somehow…_ Almost without thinking, Scorpius began feeling around the bottom of the still open trunk for his well worn copy of A History of Magic. _There has to be something in there._

Coming up empty-handed, Scorpius checked all around his room for the book to no avail. In fact, there wasn’t a single book to be found anywhere. _Well that’s odd._ Scorpius frowned. _Where have all my books gotten off to?_ Figuring it couldn’t hurt to try, he closed his eyes, focused intently on the cover of his copy of A History of Magic, and said with a short twist of his wand, “ _Accio_ , book!” When nothing appeared, Scorpius shrugged and pocketed his wand. _Didn’t exactly expect that to work. It’s off to the library, then._ Scorpius felt marginally calmer at the thought of hiding in the library, surrounded by nothing but books. Finally having a plan in place gave him the energy necessary to move away from the relative comfort of his bed and venture into the unknown world beyond his dorm room door.

Just before he left the safety of his room, Scorpius caught sight of himself in the mirror that was hanging on the back of the door. _I’ve only been here a night, and I can hardly recognize myself._ Scorpius thought with a start. The heavy black robes made him look even paler than usual, their high collar emphasizing his sharp cheekbones. But it was his eyes that startled him the most. They were dark and empty with deep circles under them that nearly look like bruises. _I haven’t looked this bad since Mum…_

With a determined huff, Scorpius straightened up and schooled his expression into something he hoped was colder and more detached even though his insides felt like a kettle about to boil over. _Let’s go figure this mess out._

_________________________________________________

  
  


Albus woke with a start on the cold and grimy flagstone floor. He hadn’t realized that he had drifted off, and he struggled to shake the listlessness from his mind. His shoulder and hip ached from where they had been pressed into the stones, and the gash across his face itched horribly. Albus let out a groan when his stomach grumbled. “You might as well just shut up, then.” he said irritably. “I don’t particularly get the feeling that we’ll be getting room service down here.” He barely had time to gather his wits before he heard footsteps in the hallway outside his door.

_So soon?_ Albus had hoped that he would’ve been left alone for at least a few more hours. He pushed himself off of his side and into a seated position just as the door creaked open revealing exactly the person he wanted to see the least. 

“Have a good night’s rest?” Umbridge said in that sickly sweet tone that was beginning to drive Albus positively batty. 

“Oh absolutely.” Albus said hotly as he tried to subtly stretch out the sore muscles in his neck. He longed for the comfort of his bed in the Slytherin dorm. “Real five star establishment you’ve got here.”

“You talk too much, boy.” Umbridge said cooly. She stepped into the room and the door clanged shut behind her, leaving them in darkness for only a moment before several globules of light burst from the tip of her wand and rose to hover just below the ceiling. Albus’ stomach clenched at the prospect of being locked in a tiny room with someone who was looking at him with as much hatred as Umbridge currently was. 

_I need to hold out for Scorpius._ Albus took a deep breath in an attempt to calm the frantic buzzing that was beginning to creep into his thoughts. _He’ll figure this out. It’s going to be ok._

“Now.” Umbridge jabbed her wand towards Albus with a grim smile. “ _Fulgari_.” Unlike the night before when she had bound his hands with simple rope, this spell caused vicious cords that crackled with electricity to shoot forward and circle securely around his wrists. Albus grit his teeth against the immediate shock that shot up his arms and into the base of his skull, and he stared up at Umbridge with as much loathing as he could muster. Unphased, Umbridge continued. “You currently have two choices. Either you answer every single question I have for you with complete honesty, or I drag the truth out of you by whatever means I deem necessary. The choice is yours.”

Albus’ blood ran cold at the implication of her words, and he swallowed hard. _If I want to keep Scorpius safe, I can’t say anything._ Thinking back to what little he had learned about this new reality, coming right out and saying he was the son of Harry Potter probably wasn’t the best course of action. _But if I don’t say anything, she’s going to hurt me._

“What do you want from me?” Albus found himself asking apprehensively. 

“Let’s start off with a simple one.” Umbridge said, staring down at Albus with a steely glare. “Name and Blood Registration Number?”

_Well I can’t bloody well say Potter now can I?_ Albus thought with a humourless snort. _I don’t even know what a Blood Registration Number is. Should I make something up?_ He unconsciously tugged at the cords around his wrists and was rewarded with a nasty shock, causing him to yelp in surprise. This only served to irritate his already frayed nerves and he looked up at Umbridge with a snarl. “I don’t owe you anything.” 

“Pity.” Umbridge leveled her wand at his face, focusing directly on the wound across it. “ _Crucio!_ ”

It was pain beyond anything Albus had ever experienced. Every fibre of his being was on fire, his head was breaking open along the old gash, his vision went instantly white, and he screamed. His bones were melting and every muscle, every nerve, every ounce of flesh was agony and he was dying...he wanted to pass out...to die...anything. It lasted for ages and for less than a moment and nothing else mattered because this was forever.

And then it was over. He was curled limply on the dirty stone floor, fresh blood streaking down his face, muscles spasming painfully to weaken his shaking limbs and he couldn’t move, could barely breathe.

Umbridge’s voice seemed to be coming to him through a fog, and Albus turned his bleary eyes towards her ugly toad-like face.

“Do you need me ask you again?” She said with a sinister giggle. 

_Scorpius needs you to hold out._ Albus let out a soft moan and against his better judgement, did his best to harden his gaze. “No.” he breathed out, muscles twitching painfully. “Heard you fine the first time.”

“Then do you have an answer for me?” 

“J-James.” Albus stuttered the first name that came to his scattered mind. “James Evans.” 

“And your registration number, James?” Umbridge’s eyes were like black pits. 

_How to lie my way out of something I have no idea about…_ Albus winced, the motion pulling at his re-opened cut. “I...I…” His words caught in his throat. _I don’t know what to say._

“Hm, I believe you might need a teensy bit more help remembering.” Umbridge raised her wand. “ _Crucio._ ”

The spell ripped through his body somehow more vicious than before. The pain was so extreme, so all-consuming, that Albus no longer remembered where he was. Burning hot daggers were biting through every inch of him, and he was screaming again. Screaming louder than he ever had in his entire life.

And it lasted longer.

And longer.

An eternity of pain, and screaming, and terror.

And then it stopped. 

His muscles were spasming painfully, and it felt like there were bugs crawling under his skin. Albus managed to roll onto his side before he puked, stomach acid burning his throat. Shaking uncontrollably, he found he couldn’t force himself to speak. At some point he had started crying, tears burning uncomfortable tracks down his face. 

“Are you ready to talk now?” Came Umbridge’s terribly shrill voice. She gave him a moment to answer, and looked almost pleased when the only noise he managed to make was a scratchy whine. “I see. What a shame. I wonder how badly you’ll break before you say anything.” 

The last thought that crossed Albus’ mind before the Cruciatus Curse tore through him again was, _I’m going to die here._ He lost all sense of time as Umbridge went on, her horrible voice growing louder and more angry and Albus couldn’t grasp a single word she was saying. 

Finally, he must have managed to choke out something that resembled a string of numbers because Umbridge took a step towards him and smiled. She bent down next to him, and Albus didn’t have the energy to pull away when she lifted his chin so he was forced to look at her. “Now, was that so hard?” Without waiting for an answer, Umbridge let him go with a pat on the cheek that left his skin crawling. “I’m going to go alert the proper authorities to your arrest.” With that, Umbridge rose to her full height and went over to the door. But before she left, she turned back to Albus with a deadly stare. “And if I find you’ve been lying to me, you will not enjoy the consequences.” And with that, she turned on her heel and left, the door banging shut behind her with a deafening clang. 

Albus curled into as small a ball as he could manage, heart threatening to pound right through his ribcage. He only noticed that the burning cords that had been searing into his skin had vanished when he was able to bring his hands up to his face and just sob.

_I want Mum…_ Albus couldn’t help but cry even harder at the thought of his mother. He’d never gotten on well with Dad, but Mum… she always seemed to understand him, or understand that she didn’t and listened when he needed her to. _And I’m never going to see her again._

Completely spent of any scrap of energy he might have had, Albus stayed right where he was laying on the floor, shaking from both the cold and the muscle spasms that continued to tear through him. As he began to drift away, he did his best to fill his fading thoughts with images of his Mum sitting at home in her favorite squashy armchair, reading a book while wearing the worn bathrobe that Lily had gotten her many Christmases ago. 

He also thought about his first day on the Hogwarts Express, and about his best friend stuttering his way through their first conversation. He could picture the aged paneling of the train car they always sat in, a small round burn on the seat by the window from where Albus had misfired a Scouring charm. He could almost taste the Pepper Imps that Scorpius always supplied, among other sweets that he pulled from his seemingly endless supply. 

_Please be ok, Scorp._ Albus thought as his world faded to black. _Please be ok._


	3. Chapter 3

The library, as it turned out, was not at all the easy destination that Scorpius had thought it would be. 

As soon as he had set foot in the Slytherin common room, focusing entirely on getting to the library and nothing else, he was immediately swarmed by Karl and Yann, who he had failed to notice sitting on one of the couches waiting for him.

“Fancy a lie in this morning, huh Scorpion King?” Yann cackled as he bumped his fist against Scorpius’ shoulder. “We were worried we’d missed you.” Scorpius fought back a wince and the urge to rub his shoulder where Yann had hit him. 

“Must’ve really been up late last night.” Karl added with a glimmer in his eye. “Word is that you caught yourself another mudblood wandering about the grounds.” Scorpius felt his stomach drop, the whirlwind of conversation making him dizzy.

“Erm, yeah sure.” he forced out, voice high and squeaky. Scorpius quickly cleared his throat. “Word sure does spread quickly.”

“So?” Yann continued. “Tell us everything!”

“Umm...I...well.” Scorpius babbled hopelessly, completely unsure of how to proceed. _What do they expect me to say?_

“No need to be modest.” Karl grinned. “What was the mudblood like? Did they put up a fight at all? We’ve been needing some fresh blood for a bit now.” Scorpius felt himself getting more and more queasy the longer Karl spoke.

_What are they going to do to Albus here?_ Scorpius had half a mind to just turn right around and go back to his room until he had formed a better plan. _Anything to avoid all this._

“I’ll bet that new mudblood is in the dungeons right now.” Yann said with a wicked smile. “We probably have some time before first class to go down and pay a little visit.” Scorpius felt the blood drain from his face.

“Oh no I can’t, I have some...um...homework that I forgot about.” Scorpius stammered as he tried to pull away from Yann and Karl. “I need to quick go grab a book from the library and -” he was drowned out by the two other students bursting into uproarious laughter.

“Right, suuure, homework.” Karl wheezed. “Good one, Malfoy.”

“Next thing you know he’s going to be telling us he’s planning on joining the gobstones club.” Yann added as he steered Scorpius out of the common room and into the corridor beyond. “Come on, it’ll be a great way to start the day.”

“No!” Scorpius snapped, channeling every ounce of terror he had into sounding fierce and dangerous. “I’m still too tired from last night, and I don’t feel like skipping breakfast to visit some wandering filth.” The words felt like ash in his mouth, but they seemed to do the trick as Yann and Karl raised their hands defensively. 

“Alright, whatever you say.” Karl placated. “Then let’s go get something to eat before class, and you can tell us all about last night.”

Despite all his best efforts, it took Scorpius the better part of the morning to shake them. In fact, everywhere he went in the entire school, people seemed to follow him. Scorpius was used to being ignored at best, getting hit by errant hexes at worst. But here? Here, rather than slam into him in the hallways, the other students parted like water around him. 

And by the time he managed to separate himself from his twin shadows Yann and Karl by hiding out in the third floor bathroom, Scorpius felt like locking the door and never coming out. _How long can I hide in here before someone notices I’m missing?_ Scorpius thought with a humorless snort. _Think they would notice if the Scorpion King drowned himself in a toilet?_ Of course they would. Scorpius groaned as he drug himself over to the sink and splashed some cold water in his face. He gripped the sides of the sink as he looked up into the mirror, already knowing what he was going to see.

Face too pale with deep shadows under his eyes which were dull from lack of sleep. His hair was limp and the high-necked black robes made him look more and more like old pictures of his father. Scorpius hated what he saw and turned away with a huff. _Can’t hide out here forever._ He took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom, taking care not to let the door slam behind him.

_I have absolutely no idea where I’m supposed to be right now._ Scorpius glanced around the rapidly emptying hallway, trying his best not to look as lost as he felt. 

“Oi, Malfoy. You ok?” An approaching student caught his attention. 

_Question of the hour, isn’t it._ Frantically searching for a response, Scorpius barely managed to open his mouth before the girl continued. 

“You on your way to History of Magic, right?”

“Right!” Scorpius breathed a silent sigh of relief. _Finally, a destination._

“Great, me too.” She smiled at him, but Scorpius found that her grin was more feral than comforting. “Shall we?” He nodded wordlessly and followed after the girl, trying to remember if her face was a familiar one or not. By the time they had reached the classroom, Scorpius was still unsuccessful at putting a name to her face.

_Maybe she doesn’t exist in my timeline._ Scorpius thought darkly. _Maybe she's the daughter of some Death Eater or something._

Scorpius snuck into the room, not liking how every eye seemed to drift over in his direction as he did. Most of the class was already seated, a few stragglers like himself still wandering in and taking their seats. Suddenly he realized that he was faced with yet another problem _Where does the Scorpion King sit?_ Scorpius quickly took stock of all the remaining seats in the class, noting two up front, a few in the middle, and one in the last row of the class. Taking a deep breath, Scorpius slid into the desk at the back, watching for any sort of reaction from anyone. 

Apparently, this was the right choice to make because no one gave him a second glance, continuing their hushed conversations with their friends. Although it was a far cry from his usual seat at the front, Scorpius was beginning to gather that this Scorpion King wasn’t much for academics.

“Excuse me, Professor Rowle.” The girl who had walked him to class had raised her hand, trying to catch the attention of the Professor at the front of the room. 

_Rowle?_ Scorpius thought with a start. _Rowle._ _The Rowles were a pretty extreme Death Eater family weren’t they?_ Looking up at the imposing woman in front of him, Scorpius figured that was still very much the case. 

“Rosier, put your hand down at once.” Rowle’s voice was like wind through reeds, not at all matching her commanding presence. “You may ask me your question after class.” 

“Yes, sorry Professor.” the girl, Rosier, sheepishly lowered her hand. 

_Rosier. As I suspected, a Death Eater family._ Scorpius thought gloomily. He resigned himself to slouching in his chair for the duration of class before a crazy idea lit up in his head. _It doesn’t hurt to try._ He took a deep breath, and then raised his hand. Instantly the whole class fell silent, the shock at seeing his participation very clear. Even Rowle seemed mildly surprised as she called on him.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy?”

“I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Battle of Hogwarts?” Scorpius forced his voice to remain level. “It’s just that I seem to have forgotten exactly what happened and I…” Professor Rowle fixed him with such a stare, that Scorpius felt his question die in his throat. 

“Perhaps it would befit the Scorpion King to pay attention in class more often, then.” Rowle said, her voice creaky and soft. “If you would remember back to your first year History of Magic class, you would know that the Dark Lord raised his forces against Dumbledore’s rebels and overthrew them on the grounds of this castle. The Potter boy was destroyed along with all his followers, and the Dark Lord assumed control of the Wizarding World.”

“Yes, but how -”

“That will be all, Mr. Malfoy.”

“Yes I knew all that.” Scorpius snapped, “I was hoping, as a professor, that you would be willing to elaborate.” 

“You’ve already taken up too much of this class’ time.” Rowle turned away from him and began to walk back to the board at the front of the room. “Perhaps you should try picking up a book every now and then.” Scorpius could feel the questioning stares from the other students in the room burning into his skull but he ignored them and chose instead to get to his feet, wooden chair scraping across the floor with a deafening screech. “Class is not dismissed yet, Mr. Malfoy.” Rowle drawled, not even bothering to turn around.

“It is for me.” Scorpius found himself saying as he clumsily turned on his heel and tried his best to stalk out of the classroom without tripping on his feet. As he suspected, no one seemed at all surprised by his sudden exit from the class and no one made a move to stop him as he left class and walked as far away from the room as he could before his shaky legs gave out. Scorpius sat on a bench with a huff, the sound echoing in the empty hallway. 

_Well, that worked splendidly._ Scorpius grimaced, every nerve on high alert. _Maybe I need to be more specific._ He could feel his breath beginning to catch in his chest, and the feeling fading from his fingers. Scorpius leaned back with a soft groan, letting his head thunk against the cool stonework behind him. _Get a hold of yourself. You can’t afford to get all anxious now._ He allowed himself to sit and breathe for a moment before sitting up with renewed alertness. _It’s Cedric that we’ve gone back to interfere with. I need to find out what happened to Cedric._

_________________________________________________

Albus wasn’t sure how long he’d been here. He had managed to drag himself into a corner some time ago and hadn’t moved since, still too shaky and sore to do anything more than bring his knees to his chest and loop his arms loosely around them. There was no source of light to indicate whether it was day or night, so he had no idea how long Umbridge had been gone for. For all he knew, she could have left just ten minutes ago.

_What’s she going to do once she finds out I lied?_ Albus shifted uncomfortably as he did the best he could to ignore the rising panic in his chest. _Something horrible I’m sure._ Albus let out a shaky sigh as he rested his cheek against his knees. His muscles had stopped seizing some time ago, leaving a dull ache in their place. The skin around his wrists burned, and the wound across his face throbbed with each beat of his heart. 

Albus groaned when another spasm of hunger knotted up his hollow stomach, and he closed his eyes against the growing headache pounding behind his eyes. His mouth was so dry that swallowing felt like a chore. And someone was crying. The sudden realization gave Albus a burst of energy as he picked his head up. “Hello?” his parched throat protested the use of his voice. _I’m not alone down here._

Getting no response, Albus struggled to his feet and stumbled over towards where he thought the door was, keeping his hands out in front of him in order to prevent running face first into the wall. “Hello?” he called out again, voice a little stronger. “Is someone there?” He could hear the faint sobs coming from somewhere further away down the hallway. _Please, someone answer me. I’m going mad down here._

Just as his fingertips touched rough wood, the sound of approaching footsteps began to echo across the stone walls. Instantly the crying ceased and Albus found himself staggering backwards, heart leaping into his throat. _On second thought, I don’t really need anyone to answer me._ He thought desperately as he retreated until his back hit stone. _Maybe they’ll just keep walking past._ Albus shook as the footsteps drew nearer, the clicking of familiar heels pounding into his head like a spike. 

When the door to his cell swung open it took everything in him to remain perfectly still, chewing at the inside of his cheek to keep quiet. Albus could feel the cold fury radiating off of the familiar figure in the door. _God, she knows..._

Not wasting any time, Umbridge released the globules of light into the air and locked eyes with him as he did his best to hold her stare. “We have no record of a James Evans ever existing.” Umbridge stated, her eyes burning. Albus gulped and tried to smooth any expression from his face. 

_That didn’t give me nearly as much time as I’d hoped…_

“So that means you lied to me, boy.” It was then that Albus noticed a second figure in the shadows behind Umbridge. The pit in his stomach had grown and it was now choking the breath out of him. “So since you’ve been so very uncooperative with me, I decided to bring in an expert, so to speak.”

“Piss off.” Albus croaked, his throat scratchy and dry. He was unable to shake the feeling of alarm that this shadowed figure gave him. 

“What was that?” the figure spoke with a harsh voice that made the hair on the back of Albus’ neck prickle uncomfortably. In spite of a voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Scorpius shrieking at him to keep quiet, Albus lifted tired eyes to stare into the shadows. 

“I said piss off.” With a mad cackle, the figure stepped out of the darkened doorway. Even though she was twenty years older than the picture in his copy of A History of Magic, the face of Bellatrix Lestrange was still very much recognizable, the same feverish, fanatical glow burning in her eyes.

“You’re getting soft, Dolores.” Bellatrix said in a horrible mocking voice that had Albus pressing impossibly further into the corner. “He’s still got some fire in him.” 

And suddenly Albus was five years old again, listening to James tell a scary story about a banshee that lived in little boys’ closets who only came out at night. He had nightmares for weeks and James had gotten a stern telling off, but that feeling of paralyzing terror wasn’t easy to forget. That same feeling was exactly what he was experiencing now as Bellatrix stalked towards him and roughly grabbed his chin in her sharp-nailed hand. “You’re going to regret that mouth, boy.”

_Already am._ Albus tried to pull his face from Bellatrix’ iron grip, wishing for nothing more than to just sink into the floor so he didn’t have to see her horrible, burning eyes. He winced when Bellatrix simply dug her fingernails in more deeply, little pinpricks of blood appearing on his cheeks. 

“Oh this is going to be fun.” Bellatrix purred, her eyes dancing with a maddening light. She released his face and drew her wand, pointing it directly at him.

_I’m going to die here._ Albus felt a deathly calm wash over him as he stared at the cruel talon-like wand hovering less than a foot from his face. _Is this what it feels like to know that you’re going to die?_ He stiffened when an awful thought crossed his mind. _Is this what Dad felt like when he…_ The very idea of his Dad caused Albus to flinch and the next thing he knew there were tears rolling down his cheeks, cutting through the grime and blood. Bellatrix laughed like this was the best thing she had ever seen.

“Oh poor little baby. Look, Dolores, he’s crying.” Like the flip of a switch, her face turned from hysterical laughter to psychotic rage and she lunged forward, back-handing him with a savage strike. Albus’ head snapped to the side, smashing into the wall beside him with a mind-numbing crack. He slid to the floor with a small pained sound, agony shooting through his skull like lightning. Albus tried to fight through the buzzing in his head to move himself away from the unhinged witch any way he could. “I’ll give you something to cry about, scum!” Bellatrix screeched. “ _Crucio!_ ”

Albus didn’t think it possible, but somehow Bellatrix’ curse hurt infinitely worse than Umbridge’s. Blinding, splitting agony ripped through his body with excruciating ferocity. 

He couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe. 

He couldn’t possibly press any closer to the floor; couldn’t do anything more than curl in on himself and try to be as small a target as possible _._ He became vaguely aware of a pitiful high-pitched wailing beginning to blend with the roaring in his ears. 

_Oh god, please, someone shut that thing up._ Albus thought desperately. It took ages of deep wrenching breaths before his scrambled brain registered that the awful noise was coming from him. And then the fog that had begun eating away at the corners of his vision began to fade as he came back to himself and the dingy dungeon swam into focus. His body ached, muscles already cramping horrifically.

Bellatrix hadn’t moved an inch, wand still pointed directly at him. “Now, you filth. Who are you?” She grinned at him with an insane cackle. “Or do I need to curse you again?” Try as he might, Albus couldn’t force himself to speak. He couldn’t pry a single word out of his wrecked throat. He couldn’t do a single thing but press his forehead to the cold stone floor and pull in increasingly more bloody lungfuls of air. He flinched when Bellatrix clicked her tongue at his silence. “You ignoring me, boy?”

_Pleasepleaseplease I don’t want to die…_

“ANSWER ME! _CRUCIO!_ ”

The spell carved into him impossibly deeper than before, Bellatrix’ savagery amplified in her spells tenfold. 

It lasted for eternity. His blood was fire, scorching through his veins. There was no relief. It just kept going on, and on, and on, and on. Hadn’t his body burned away by now? There couldn’t be anything left after this. But the pain kept burning, and tearing, pulling him apart. He could feel his mind ripping at the seams. Just when Albus was sure he was going to spiral beyond recovery, the pain stopped. Trembling against the stone, he could feel the blood running down the side of his face from where it had hit the wall earlier.

“WHO ARE YOU?” Bellatrix was unhinged, chest heaving, hair flying wildly around her face. Albus tried to speak, but only managed a feeble gasp, heart pounding erratically against his ribs. 

“You little -” Bellatrix lurched forward and grabbed a handful of Albus’ hair, wrenching him to his knees. Albus let out a yelp as his hands immediately flew up to try and grasp at her wrist to relieve some of the burning pain. Bellatrix simply shook him harder, as more tears streaked down his face. “Let’s try something new, shall we?” she growled before flinging him across the room. Albus landed in a heap, unable to do a single thing to break his fall. 

Before he knew it, Bellatrix was on him. She shoved him over onto his back before kneeling above him, using her full weight to pin his wrists to the ground with her knees. Albus choked on a sob and tried to tug away from the grinding pain only to earn a sharp blow across the face. He stared up listlessly as Bellatrix leaned down and got so close to his face that he could feel the heat radiating from her forehead. “You’re a stubborn little shit, aren’t you.” she breathed, grasping his right wrist with her free hand and used it to drag his arm out to the side. 

_Please, just let this be over._

Bellatrix then thrust her wand back into her robes and drew out a short silver knife. The sight of the blade glinting in the dim light sent a shiver ripping through Albus as his breath sped up helplessly. “I have a brilliant idea.” Bellatrix hissed. “Let’s see if he’s got mud in his veins. That’s a place to start.” She tightened her grip on his wrist and then dug her knife into the exposed flesh of his forearm. He watched, his mouth hanging open in numb horror as she carved a line across his arm, blood too bright soaking into the grime on the floor. Several seconds passed before pain overwhelmed the shock, and by then Bellatrix was already making another, deeper cut right next to the first. The white-hot pain had Albus seeing stars as he cried out weakly and attempted to pull away. “What is your name?”

_I can’t, I can’t._ Albus screamed, hands twitching feebly against the ground. 

“I grow tired of your attempt at bravery.”

_Help, please someone, anyone, she’s going to kill me_. Albus must have drifted away at some point during Bellatrix’ butchering of his arm because he didn’t realize that she had dropped the knife until her fingers closed around his throat. He made a strangled sound of alarm as her fingers tightened just enough to endanger his breathing, her hand closing in an unrelenting grip.

“Are you listening to me?!” Bellatrix screeched. Albus couldn’t think anymore, the weight on his throat and the threat it carried overwhelmed him. 

_Just breathe, just breathe, breathe-_

Bellatrix’ hand tightened even more and Albus choked as she pressed his head into the stones, mind going absolutely blank with the roar of panic. He made a helpless, desperate cough as he tried to twist away, feet kicking uselessly against the floor, but it only made Bellatrix squeeze tighter.

“Who are you?” she shrieked, face barely inches from his.

Tears rolled down Albus’ cheeks as he struggled, pulling desperately at her iron grip. His head was splitting, grey fog inching into the corners of his vision. _I can’t, please, oh god I can’t-_

“Now Bella, we need answers, not a dead body on our hands.” Umbridge’s bored voice cut through the darkening fog. Then with an irritated huff, Bellatrix released the vice-like grip on his throat. Albus, crying and gasping, immediately squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face to the side, unable to stare into the face of death any longer.

_Stopstopstop...please I can’t...I...please...please...I want to go home…_

“Who. Are You.”

“Pleaase.” Albus stuttered. “I can’t...I-”

“Are you ready to tell the truth now?” came Umbridge’s sickly sweet voice. 

“My, my look at all these freckles you have.” Bellatrix hummed as she pressed the tip of her knife against his cheek. “Imagine how long it would take me to carve out each and every one of them.” 

The thought of that tipped Albus over the edge. “Stop, stop...please…”

_I’m sorry Scorpius. I’m so so sorry. I can’t…_

“You know what we want, boy.” Umbridge spit out. Albus was too caught up in the hysteria of having a knife pressing closer and closer to his eye to put up any more of a fight. _I just need this to be over…_

“Albus Potter.” he breathed, his voice raspy and raw. “My name’s Albus Potter.”

“What did you say?” 

“My parents are Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.” 

“LIAR.” Umbridge shrieked at the same time that Bellatrix snarled and clamped her hand around his throat once again. Albus whined in terror, his eyes involuntarily welling up with fresh tears as he tried desperately to get even the smallest amount of air into his lungs. 

The last thing he saw in the room was the biting gaze of her dark, frenzied eyes. Then he was falling, the bottom dropping out of his stomach, and he was leaping off the edge of reality headfirst into a flood of memories. Some of them he knew like the back of his hand, some he didn’t even remember having until now, swirling together like a kaleidoscope. He tried to grab onto one, to hold himself, to stop this drowning feeling that was crushing him, robbing him of breath and sight and any sense he had left.

He was seven, working with James to try and cook a surprise breakfast for their Dad’s birthday, resulting in flour everywhere and Dad in hysterics at the doorway. 

He was eleven years old, cautiously hopeful about his first year at Hogwarts, and yet so afraid of getting sorted into Slytherin. He saw Dad with his reassuring smile, telling him that no matter where he ended up he still loved him. He was walking down a swaying train car, Rose at his side as they searched for a place to sit and make new friends. 

Albus pushed that memory away with all his might. _Can’t think of Scorpius. Keep him safe._

He heard the Sorting Hat shouting _“Slytherin!”_ and saw the whole school staring at him in shock. He remembered how much it hurt when he locked eyes with James only to have his brother turn away from him, a look of hurt on his face.

He was thirteen and getting off the Hogwarts Express, his Mum hugging him tightly, saying how good it was to have him home. His heart felt so full knowing that he truly believed her. 

He was sitting courtside at the Quidditch World Cup with Dad, James, Lily, Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, Rose and Hugo. He was cheering so enthusiastically for Brazil that he almost toppled out of the stands, saved only by Uncle Ron’s quick thinking and reflexive grabbing of the back of his robes. His heart ached when he remembered how much he enjoyed being with his family and friends on that day…

He returned to the room, gulping down air and shaking like a leaf. Bellatrix was studying his face with a look so horrible that Albus found himself unable to turn away. “Well, Bellatrix?” Umbridge asked, anticipation dripping from every word out of her mouth. After an agonizingly long pause in which Albus felt like he was going to explode, Bellatrix spoke, never taking her eyes off him.

“He speaks truth, Dolores.” Umbridge puffed up like a toad, indignation painted across her face.

“That’s impossible! Harry Potter and that blood traitor died over twenty years ago. You must be mistaken.” 

“You dare question me? Me, who was chosen by the Dark Lord himself?” Bellatrix shrieked as she rose from the ground and stalked towards Umbridge, hand plunging into her robes as she went. The instant that he was released, Albus rolled to his side and curled around his mangled arm, doing his best to protect it from further harm.

_Please just let me pass out...anything..._

“But...but-” Umbridge squeaked, significantly unnerved by the deranged witch towering over her. “How is it possible? You and I both saw the Potter boy’s body. You killed the blood traitor yourself.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” Bellatrix whirled back around, wand at the ready. There was a flash of red light and a searing pain burned across Albus’ shoulder. He could barely twitch in response, his mind drifting ten feet above his body. “You heard the Headmistress.” Bellatrix said. “Answer her.”

“I-- I stole a time turner from the Ministry of Magic…” Albus struggled to force his ruined thoughts to find the words he needed. “And I changed things that I didn’t mean to... I somehow created this reality, that I- I-” Another slash from Bellatrix’ wand and another burning welt on his skin singed the words from his mouth and he fell silent.

“There you have it, Dolores.” Bellatrix said curtly. “Do with that as you will. Are you going to alert the Dark Lord to his presence, or should I?”

“Seeing as Hogwarts is under my watch, I will handle it.” Umbridge responded just as shortly. “Thank you ever so for your assistance, Bellatrix. A pleasure as always.” Bellatrix’ face split into a mocking grin before gliding out of the cell, her form melting into the shadows.

“Well, well now. What to do with you.” Umbridge smiled smugly. “I’ll need to contact the Augurey right away, of course.” Albus couldn’t react, couldn’t even acknowledge Umbridge’s presence. He was too busy floating away, mind becoming more and more hazy. “Until then, I’m sure we can find something to do with you. You’ll see what we do to liars in my school.” With a final nod, Umbridge dismissed the globes of light and walked away, plunging the room back into mind-numbing darkness. 

Albus stared at where he knew the door was, a horrible dull ache settling deep in his chest. _I’m just as weak and useless as everyone says I am._ He didn’t understand how he had any water left to cry, but he felt thin tears trace down his face as he shifted weakly. _What if I wasn’t able to shield Scorpius from her?_ The thought of his best friend going through even a fraction of what he had experienced felt like something tearing deep into his chest and Albus closed his eyes, finally letting the nagging fog drag him into welcomed unconsciousness.

_________________________________________________

  
  


Cedric, as it turned out, had gone and become a bloody Death Eater. Scorpius was almost proud of himself for being able to subtly bring him up in conversation over dinner. 

This game of charades was exhausting, and he couldn’t excuse himself from dinner fast enough when the talk turned to what Dark Arts, _it’s just Dark arts class now...lovely,_ had in store for tomorrow. 

_What if I just don’t show up tomorrow?_ Scorpius thought as he strode purposefully towards the Slytherin common room. _Just hole up in my room all day and not have to see anyone. Or have anyone see me._ He was startled out of his thoughts by a particularly dreadful scream that echoed up from the deeper dungeons. Every hair stood up in alarm as a chill went down Scorpius’ spine. _That sounded like…_ he felt rooted to the spot, everything in him screaming to run towards the dungeons, to stop whatever was happening no matter the cost.

_It sounds like they’re killing him._ He spent what felt like ages just standing there, mind reduced to a droning buzz before a hand on his shoulder snapped him out of it. With a startled yelp, Scorpius spun around and prepared to draw his wand before he was met with the puzzled face of Yann, Karl not too far behind.

“What’s eating you, Malfoy?” Yann asked. “You alright?”

“Y-yeah.” Scorpius stuttered, trying to get his face back under control. “Just tired.”

“Well you’d better get to bed, then.” Karl joined in. “Big day tomorrow and all.” Scorpius couldn’t for the life of him remember what Karl was talking about, so he simply nodded and forced a yawn.

“Right, well. Better be off.” Scorpius didn’t wait for a response and continued on his way, Yann and Karl following behind him like twin shadows.

The next morning proved just as dreadful as Scorpius had anticipated. It took every ounce of energy he had just to sit up in his bed. He felt as if there was a heavy, cold blanket wrapped around his chest and no amount of warming charms made it go away.

His goal this morning was to make it out of the common room without encountering Yann and Karl, and so far he was succeeding. _The only problem is that I have no idea what class I’m supposed to be going to first._ Scorpius thought helplessly as he trudged up the stairs to the main level of the castle. He tried desperately to sift through every conversation that Yann and Karl had when he had been with them, praying that there would be something there to clue him in to where he should be going. 

But it didn’t seem that the Scorpion King and his cronies did much talking about classes when they weren’t actively learning. _Brilliant._ He was almost ready to admit defeat and go find Yann or Karl when he was abruptly stopped by a professor he didn’t recognize. 

“The Headmistress would like to see you in her office after you’ve finished with your Muggle Studies class.”

_Muggle Studies. Excellent._ At least Scorpius now knew where he was supposed to be going. _Not quite sure that’s a class I want to be going to ...but...well what choice do I have?_ And then the words the professor had spoken hit him like a sledgehammer. 

“W-wait. The Headmistress wants to see me?” Scorpius struggled to think back to his time spent in this world. _Where have I slipped up? What does she know?_ The professor was looking at him strangely and all Scorpius could do was stare back, every word of the english language escaping him.

“Yes, Malfoy.” The professor turned to go. “And be sure to be prompt. The Headmistress doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

“R-right.” Scorpius faltered as the professor disappeared around the corner. _Probably should have caught his name._ Scorpius drifted to class as if he was in a fog, students calling out his name left and right, some making strange hand gestures and others dodging him like he was the next plague. This much recognition was frankly exhausting, and by the time he had reached Muggle Studies, Scorpius wanted nothing more than to take a long nap. 

He assumed his new usual seat at the back of the class, fully prepared to sit through the entire thing this time. _I can do this. I have to do this._

The class passed by in a horrific blur; Alecto Carrow’s awful voice boring into Scorpius’ brain. The things she was saying about muggles was enough to make him sick to his stomach. The second the bell rang to signal the end of class, Scorpius was out the door, desperate to leave that entire class behind him.

As soon as Scorpius was out in the hallway he sank against the wall with a shaky groan, hands trembling. _What was that?!_ The lesson ran through his mind like a nightmare and he wanted nothing more than to run away and hide. But he couldn’t. 

People here expected him to show up for his next class, but he didn’t know what it was. People expected him to carry on with his daily life, because nothing here had changed. He was the Scorpion King after all. 

Suddenly the sound of a ringing bell split the silence around him. _Students will be filling these hallways any moment now._ So with enormous effort, Scorpius forced himself to his feet. _Besides, I’ve got a meeting to be getting to._

Once again, Scorpius found that traveling in the hallways was one of the most exhausting things he had yet to experience. All these people knowing his name, calling him Scorpion King, and he didn’t understand a lick of it. _Never thought I’d miss obscurity._ Scorpius thought grimly. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the gargoyle that led to the Headmistress’ office. 

“Erm…” he stared up at the impassive stone face. “I don’t suppose you’d just let me in, would you? You see I don’t know the password and -” The gargoyle remained motionless and Scorpius could feel his cheeks heating up in irritation. “Oh come on now, Umbridge wants to see me.” Nothing. “Um, Voldemort. Pure Blood, Dark Mark, I don’t know!” Scorpius could feel his hysteria rising with each failed attempt. 

_What do you know about Umbridge?_ Scorpius thought back to what he had read about the woman in A History of Magic. _Besides the fact that she’s a horrible, evil person I mean._ Scorpius stood there longer than he was comfortable, trying to come up with anything at all that could work. _Her patronus was a cat…_ “Erm, Calico! Tabby! Persain! Siamese! I don’t bloody know!” Scorpius could only imagine what sort of a fool he looked like yelling cat breeds at a seemingly indifferent stone gargoyle. “Sphynx! Maine Coon -” 

With that, the gargoyle sprang to life, leaping aside to reveal a spiraling stone staircase. “Maine coon, really.” Scorpius grumbled hotly as he walked past the gargoyle and began to climb the stairs. His frustration carried him all the way to the top before he found himself hesitating in front of an ornate wooden door. 

_Just get it over with._ Scorpius grit his teeth as he raised his hand. _Knock on the door._ With enormous effort he did just that, the sound echoing sharply throughout the stone corridor.

“Scorpius, come in!” Umbridge’s shrill voice echoed from behind the door. Scorpius took a deep breath and schooled his expression to one of detachment and control before pushing the door open. Right away, he had to freeze and blink, the overwhelming pink-ness hurting his eyes. Little china plates covered in an assortment of kittens hung on every wall, their tiny little mews creating a frankly unnerving background ambience. “Thank you so much for coming to see me.”

Umbridge was seated behind her desk, wide grin plastered across her awful face.

“Headmistress.” Scorpius murmured, every nerve on high alert. Something didn’t feel right, and he wasn’t going to let his guard down. Especially around Umbridge.

“Scorpius, I’ve thought for a long time that you have Head Boy potential, as you know. Pure-blooded, a natural leader, wonderfully athletic…”

“Athletic?” Scorpius couldn’t help himself. Despite his resolve not to crack, he was left gaping. Would the surprises about this Scorpion King ever cease? _Athletic?!_

“No need to be modest, Scorpius. I’ve seen you on the Quidditch pitch. There’s rarely a Snitch you don’t catch.” Scorpius could feel his finely crafted mask slipping even further. 

_The Scorpion King really has it all here, doesn’t he._ Umbridge continued, seemingly unaware of Scorpius’ internal turmoil. 

“You are a highly valued student. Valued by the faculty. Valued especially by me. I’ve positively glowed about you in dispatches to the Augurey.” Umbridge stepped out from behind her desk.

_There was that Augurey again._

“Our work together flushing out the more dilettante students has made this school a safer, purer place--” 

“Has it?” Scorpius’ voice jumped up several octaves, squeaking its way out of his rapidly closing throat. He almost jumped when another wretched scream echoed from the dungeons. But, Scorpius dismissed it, he had to. Had to hold on to the rapidly thinning shreds of whatever act he was attempting to put on. 

“But in the three days since I found you in that lake with that Mudblood on Voldemort Day you’ve become… odder and odder. In particular, this sudden obsession with Harry Potter.” She spit his name out like it was making her sick just to bring it up. Scorpius flinched when Umbridge rose from her chair and picked her wand up off of her desk, holding it lovingly in her stubby fingers. “Questioning everyone you can about the Battle of Hogwarts. How Potter died. Why Potter died. And this ludicrous fascination with Cedric Diggory.” Scorpius’ stomach clenched and he swallowed against his suddenly dry mouth. 

_How does she know I’ve been asking around?_ Umbridge stepped uncomfortably close to him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion and Scorpius thought he was going to pass out.

“Did that wretched boy you found in the lake place the ridiculous idea that he was Harry Potter’s time traveling son into your head?” Scorpius fought the urge to wrap his fingers around the time turner nestled safely in his pocket. Instead, he twisted the hem of his stiff robes between his fingers and tried to meet Umbridge’s penetrating stare.

“He might have mentioned it.” Scorpius stammered, unable to hold her gaze and choosing to stare somewhere over her shoulder. “I - I wanted to see if it were true. But… It doesn't seem possible. ” 

_They already know._ Scorpius fought to keep his breathing level. _Merlin, they already know who Albus is. What did they do?_

“And why didn’t you think to tell me this information, Scorpius?”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly.” Scorpius found this easier to say, seeing as he hadn’t been able to think clearly since he had stepped out of the lake. “It just seemed too bizarre to be true. I’m sorry headmistress.” Umbridge made a tutting noise as she stepped impossibly closer, resting her wand lightly against his collar. Scorpius was going to throw up, he was sure of it. He could feel his stomach churning and the blood draining from his face.

“Scorpius, we’ve checked you for hexes and curses from that filth. There were none that we can see.” At this, Umbridge withdrew her wand, but Scorpius didn’t find breathing any easier. “So I’m asking if there’s anything I can do,” she stared at him pointedly, “to restore you to what you were…” Scorpius felt like a mouse under her predatory gaze so he took an unsteady step backwards, giving him the distance he so greatly needed.

“No. No. Consider me restored.” He spit out rapidly, twisting his hands together to keep them from shaking. “Temporary aberration. That’s all.” Scorpius detested the smug grin that broke across Umbridge’s face as he spoke. 

“So we can continue our work together?” she simpered.

“We can.” Scorpius felt bile rising in his throat and he gulped.

“For Voldemort and valor.” Umbridge said, twisting her wrists into the strange salute that Scorpius had been seeing everywhere.

“For...right.” Scorpius couldn’t bring himself to mimic whatever hand sign Umbridge had made, merely clapping his hands together before turning around and walking out of the stifling office as quickly as he thought he could without raising any more suspicion.

Scorpius maintained his composure until he turned the corner before he needed to put a hand on the wall for support since his legs had decided that they were suddenly made of jelly.

He hadn’t realised how dreadful he had been at being inconspicuous until Umbridge had called his actions into question. _I thought I was being careful._ Scorpius drew in a shuddering breath. _I thought that my questions had been few and far between, or at least with people I thought would keep my trust._

Except there was no trust here.

Everything was so closely monitored. Every action. Every conversation. If there was a single thing that someone didn’t agree with, a higher up would know before the day was up. _Someone is going to catch on to my act, and pretty soon I’m not going to be able to lie my way out._

Scorpius tilted his head back as his eyes began to fill with tears. _I can’t cry now._ He thought with a bitter laugh. _I have to be somewhere._ He had no idea where, but he was sure someone would tell him. _Ask for help, but don’t bloody cry._

If he didn’t start keeping his questions to himself, he was going to end up dead. _And then there would be no one able to save Albus._ Scorpius thought hysterically. _Oh god, Albus._

The more he thought about what could have possibly happened to his best friend, the louder the ringing in his ears became. It was almost as if someone had turned down the volume on the rest of the world and had decided to tune in to this awful buzzing instead. His heart was going to beat right out of his chest. _I need to go. I need to see him. I need to know that he’s not…_ Scorpius couldn’t even bring himself to think the word ‘dead’. 

But he couldn’t move. Couldn’t force his shaky limbs to cooperate. Could barely pull enough air into his panicked lungs. _But I can’t._ Scorpius could almost scream with the impossibleness of it all. _Can’t risk getting him in even more trouble._ He knew he needed a plan of escape first. _A few more days. I can figure this out in a few more days._ Scorpius thought back to the horrid screams he heard on his way back to the dorm and while he was in Umbridge’s office, and his mind went blank for a moment. _It has to be just a few more days or else._

“Hey! Scorpion King!” Scorpius looked down, rapidly blinking back any remnants of tears. _I can’t cry here._ Another unfamiliar student was coming towards him, but Scorpius got the feeling that this was someone he was supposed to recognize. 

_I should know this person’s name._ But the longer he stared, the more lost he felt. So Scorpius did what he thought the Scorpion King would do. He played it off like it wasn’t his fault he couldn’t remember. _I’m above all of you. At least in this reality I am._

“Hey, Scorpion King?” the boy repeated with a grin. He was shorter than Scorpius with curly dark hair and deep brown eyes. “You coming?” Scorpius drew himself up to his full height and tried to channel the sneer he’d seen his father make when he didn’t think he was looking.

“Where to, exactly?” Scorpius said coldly, looking down his nose at the boy. Apparently this was the wrong thing to say because the boy looked back at him with a frown.

“Dark Arts,” he responded, a look of concern creeping into his features. “Are you alright?”

“What would make you think I’m not?” Scorpius snapped back, trying his hardest to be intimidating. It seemed to work when the boy took a small step back, giving Scorpius his space. 

“You love Dark Arts class, that’s all.” the boy said. “It’s just that you’re normally the first one there.” Scorpius fixed the boy with a frigid glare.

“Why do you know that I’m always the first one there?” He took a step closer to the boy, towering over him. “Are you following me?”

“N-no, I-” 

“Because if you were-”

“I’m not, I swear! I’m sorry!”

“As you should be.” Scorpius snapped as he turned on heel towards the former Defense Against the Dark Arts room. “Good. Let’s go.”


	4. Chapter 4

When Albus cracked his eyes open, he was met with suffocating darkness. His first thought was that he’d gone blind, but slowly, as if through a heavy fog, he was able to make out barely perceivable shadows moving at the gap under the door. He had been laying against the wall for what felt like hours now, exhausted and hurting. This time the residual cramping in his muscles hadn’t faded completely, leaving him gritting his teeth against every painful spasm. In addition to the horrible twitching ripping the breath from his lungs, his throat felt like it was on fire; every swallow was like shards of glass shredding their way through him.

And then there was his arm. Albus was almost thankful for the gloom of the cell because it meant he wasn’t able to see the mess that stretched from wrist to elbow. He could, however, feel each and every cut that Bellatrix had carved into his skin throbbing in time with his stuttering heart. 

He was so cold and so groggy, his head was pounding, his stomach _hurt,_ and his mouth was so dry that he would’ve given anything for the slightest bit of water. Which was funny because Albus felt like he was drowning in his own head. It was like he was trapped at the bottom of a deep lake, surrounded by a murky darkness. The cruel, mocking voices of Umbridge and Bellatrix echoed throughout his mind. He could still feel the crushing pain of Bellatrix pinning him to the floor, her knife digging into his arm. 

He was scared. 

No _._ He was _terrified_. 

He had cracked and told them whatever they wanted to hear. They had seen everything he had so desperately tried to keep hidden. 

_I told her who I am._ Albus shivered, remembering the strange look in Bellatrix’s eyes as she clawed through his mind. _I’m as good as dead. I’ll never see Mum, or James or Lily… or Dad._ Albus couldn’t bear to think of his Dad. 

_“You can't make me go into Gryffindor! I'm Slytherin!” Albus could feel tears of frustration burning in his eyes as he stared helplessly at his Dad. This couldn’t be happening. What was he talking about? Gryffindor?_

_“Don't play games, Albus, you know what house you are.” Harry responded so flippantly that Albus wanted to scream. “If she finds you with Scorpius, I will fix you with a spell which will allow me eyes and ears into your every movement, your every conversation. In the meantime, investigations will begin in my department as to his true heritage.” Hearing his Dad make all these threats that Albus knew he was very capable of following through with in addition to the confirmation that he truly believed that Scorpius could be the son of Voldemort was too much._

_“But, Dad... you can't… that's just not ...” Albus was dismayed to find that he’d started crying. He couldn’t help it as he stared wordlessly ahead, pleading with his Dad not to do this. Harry appeared completely unmoved by his son’s distress, eyes burning with a severe light._

_“I thought for a long time I wasn't a good enough dad for you because you didn't like me.” He started his harsh words like a slap in the face. “It's only now I realize that I don't need you to like me, I need you to obey me because I'm your dad and I do know better.” Albus watched in shock as his Dad turned to leave. “I'm sorry, Albus. It has to be this way.”_

Albus squeezed his eyes shut with a shaky exhale. What he wouldn’t give for a little bit of his Dad’s overzealous protection right about now. He wished desperately that Harry Potter would magically appear and blast down the door to this dreadful cell, end this horrible nightmare and take him home. Albus was so tired of crying, but the thought of his Dad appearing caused his breath to catch in his lungs, fresh tears creeping down his cheeks. _I’m sorry, Dad._ He thought, his chest painfully hollow. _I’m sorry you feel like I don’t like you. I just… I don’t know what I’m doing._

Albus could barely lift his head when the sound of footsteps began to echo down the corridor. _No, no... no. Not now. I need more time. I can’t face them yet._

Of course, Albus had no such luck. A short and lumpy looking man burst through the cell door and Albus got one brief glimpse of light, which burned his eyes horribly before the shadowed figure moved into his space. Albus barely had time to react, barely had time to voice his discomfort at the stranger’s proximity before something rough was wrapped around his face, plunging his world back into nothingness. Rough hands were dragging him to his feet and something cold and metal closed tightly around his wrists with a deafening snap. Albus recoiled with a weak gasp only to be met with a sharp smack across his cheek, which did nothing to help the increasing dizziness that Albus was experiencing now that he was upright. Whoever had a hold of him wasn’t speaking, wasn’t making a single sound. Wasn’t doing a single thing to drown out the nauseating pounding in his head. Albus was shaking so badly that he could barely put one foot in front of the other to keep up with whoever was practically dragging him along behind them. 

_What’s going on?_ He wanted to ask. _Where are you taking me?_ But the minute he opened his mouth to speak, he was jerked forward with such force that he lost his footing and fell, knees cracking against the stone with a resounding blow. Before he had time to register the pain from the impact, he was pulled back to his feet and shoved ahead, scarcely managing to remain upright as his knees screamed in protest. Then all at once, there was noise everywhere, voices pressing in from every side. Laughing, whispering, shouting, all echoing around a large stone space. Suddenly going from almost silence to this overwhelming assault had Albus trying to bring his hand up to cover his ears.

_Too loud...head hurts...what’s happening…_

Albus tried to calm his mind, tried so hard to stop his world from spinning in circles. He didn’t want to think of where he could possibly be being dragged off to. He was so dizzy. In his distraction, he lost his footing again, hitting the floor with a sickening thud. Albus heard the man above him utter a foul curse before he received a crushing blow to his ribs that knocked his breath out with a pathetic wheeze. 

_So loud...chest hurts...what’s happening...please…_

The man above him didn’t even bother to pull him to his feet this time. He just grabbed at the short bit of chain between his trapped wrists and dragged Albus across the floor, his knees scraping across the rough stones. He tried, he really tried to get his feet back under him, but his legs felt like they were made of jelly and they refused to cooperate. He became aware that they had finally stopped moving, and that the man holding him was fumbling with something. There was a wooden creak, then Albus was shoved forward, his shoulder impacting more wood with a dull thump. With a final slam, he knew that he was once again locked away somewhere to await whatever punishment those in charge saw fit. Albus groaned softly as he pressed back into the wall behind him and pulled his bloody knees to his chest. A sharp pain had begun to radiate throughout his body, sparks and splashes of white dancing at the edges of his frustratingly dark vision. And all the rough movement had seemingly aggravated his damaged muscles, a fresh spasm cramping his shoulders and arms terribly. 

“Aye, you alright there?” Albus almost jumped out of his skin when a hoarse voice spoke up from somewhere near him. He was in such a daze that he hadn’t even realized that there were other people locked up with him. What he wouldn’t give to be able to see.

“Y-yeah. Fine.” All Albus could focus on was breathing. In and out. In and out. Everything else was so far out of his control.

“Do you know what’s gonna happen?” Said another voice after a long silence, this one small and girlish. 

“Best guess? It’s Dark Arts class practice day.” Came the other boy’s resigned sigh. He sounded so tired like he’d been through all of this before. The girl started to cry and Albus wanted so desperately to comfort her but he didn’t think he’d be able to move, let alone provide any measure of comfort. He didn’t even know how to comfort himself. 

“Hey. Hey, I’m not saying it’ll be ok, but it’ll be over fast.” The other boy spoke up, his voice more calm and level than Albus felt it should be considering the situation. 

“How long have you been here?” Albus couldn’t help himself. He had to know. Had to know what his future here looked like, if he had one at all.

“Lost track of time, honestly. No light in those dungeons eh?” the boy responded with a dry chuckle. “Probably two, maybe three months… What about the both of you?”

“I-I think around 3 weeks.” the little girl said with a sniffle. “That boy they call the Scorpion King. The pale one w-with the blonde hair. He-he’s the one who put me h-here.” She had started crying again. “Said my p-parents needed to be taught a l-l-lesson.”

_Oh my god... Scorpius? Scorpius would never…_

“I think this is my fourth day.” Albus was cut off by a sudden coughing fit, his entire body shaking. He felt dizzy and unstable and the darkness made it impossible to ground himself.

“They’re really going hard on you aren’t they?” The boy sounded concerned and Albus could hear him shifting somewhere to his right. “You sound like you’ve been here as long as me.” 

“Yeah, well,” Albus leaned his head back, desperate to make the spinning stop. “I made some stupid decisions…” He didn’t have the energy to elaborate further, his throat hurt from talking anyway. 

_Some really stupid decisions…_

They sat in silence for what felt like forever, Albus drifting in a haze of dreadful vertigo, before the boy broke the stillness with his soft voice.

“My name’s Elias Whiteford. I’d like someone else to know that.”

“Tessa Abbott.” came her tiny voice. 

“Albus.” he said quietly. What more did he have to lose? “Albus Potter. I think I’d like someone else to know that too.” 

_________________________________________________

Scorpius had set off at a quick pace towards the old Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, hoping he was correct in assuming that he was going in the right direction. His hands were still shaking, and he was doing everything in his power not to puke. _I don’t like speaking like that._ Scorpius chewed at the inside of his cheek. _And I don’t like the feeling that this Dark Arts class is giving me._

Luckily, the other boy seemed too shaken up by Scorpius’ act, so he remained silent for the rest of their journey. As Scorpius neared the classroom, he stopped walking for a moment and allowed himself to take several deep breaths. _Just breathe, Scorpius. You can do this._ He took one more breath. He _had_ to do this. He just had to make it through this next hour of class, and then he was free to continue to try and find a way home. _One more hour. Just one hour._

The classroom was nearly full when he walked in, the other boy skirting in behind him. Scorpius forced himself not to shrink down and look at his feet as he made his way to the empty seat in the back of the room. Sitting in the back of all his classes was still just so jarring, and all the professors seemed genuinely surprised when he participated in any way. _Am I really that much of an arrogant prick in this world?_ Scorpius thought with a sigh as he slumped in his chair, trying his best to look haughty and uninterested. 

The class fell silent almost instantly when Professor Carrow walked into the room. Scorpius still had to hold back a shiver of revulsion every time he encountered one of the twins teaching in Hogwarts. He knew what they did to students back in his timeline, and it was very clear that they were even worse here. 

“I take it you’re paying attention, Mr. Malfoy.” a wheezy voice from the front of the class snapped. Scorpius looked up quickly, locking eyes with Amycus Carrow and berating himself for slipping. 

_Can’t afford to do that._ Couldn’t afford to do any of this. “Sorry, sir,” he said smoothly and leaned back in his chair. “I was thinking about something else.”

“Well, I would keep your wits about you today.” Amycus leered. “After all, this is the lesson you’ve been looking forward to most.”

“Sir?” Scorpius could feel dread begin to claw its way up his throat.

“Why yes, Malfoy.” Amycus’ voice was like oil, and Scorpius was going to choke on it. “Today is the day you all get to show us just how accomplished you are at Unforgivables.” Scorpius didn’t respond and tried not to flinch at the sounds of excitement that had broken out among the other students in the room.

_Oh no…_ He could feel any semblance of composure he had quickly slipping away as Amycus regained control over the class with a mere clearing of his throat. _This is too much. I can’t...Surely they don’t expect me to...?_

“Yes class, today you’re going to be demonstrating your knowledge of the Unforgivables. As I’m sure you recall, this set of three curses have been labeled as such since 1717.” Amycus turned to face Scorpius with an unsettling grin. “And thanks to the work done by Mr. Malfoy, you all are going to be proving your worth on some very special subjects.”

_No...no...he couldn’t mean...no._ Scorpius felt bile rising in his throat as Amycus crossed the room and flung open the doors to a battered old cabinet. Scorpius couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think straight, couldn’t get his damn hands to stop shaking. He had to do this. If he didn’t, his foolish promise to Umbridge of a ‘temporary aberration’ was gone. Any ability he had to right the world would vanish. And he couldn’t risk that. 

He forced himself to stay perfectly still and emotionless as Amycus dragged a young girl out of the cabinet and tossed her towards the center of the room. She looked so little, her blonde hair tangled and matted around her bruised face. There was a thick blindfold covering her eyes, and her wrists were chained together in front of her. The jeers and horrible laughter from the class weren’t enough to pull Scorpius’ gaze away from Amycus, who was busy hauling another figure out of the cabinet, this one a tall, thin boy with blood coating the left side of his head. He was chained and blindfolded as well, landing in a heavy heap where Amycus threw him.

_Please make this stop...let this all be a bad dream...let me wake up._

Scorpius dug his nails into the palm of his hand when Amycus hauled a third and final figure out of the cabinet. Even through all the blood and bruises, burns and grime, Scorpius recognized his best friend instantly. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood when Amycus kept a hold on Albus instead of tossing him to the floor with the others.

Anything that Amycus was saying was drowned out by the incessant ringing that filled his ears. It didn’t matter though. Scorpius wasn’t going to listen to Amycus anyway. All of his attention was firmly on Albus, taking in and memorizing every hurt; from his horribly bloody arm to the burns across his shoulder, and the thick ring of bruises around his throat that had Scorpius feeling faint. Albus was terribly pale and Scorpius could see that he was having trouble staying upright even with Amycus’ brutal grip on his arm. 

_I can't I can’t I can’t oh what do I do what do I do-_

“Mr. Malfoy!” A sharp jab in his ribs and the harsh yell ripped Scorpius out of his disintegrating mind. Albus reacted to his name as well, twitching in Amycus’ grip and lifting his head with a snap. 

“Y-yes?” Scorpius squeaked, dragging his eyes away from Albus to look over at Amycus.

“I said get over here with Goyle and Nott.” Amycus gestured to two other students who had joined him. One was a tall girl with thick braids and the other was the curly haired boy that he had snapped at earlier. Scorpius rose to his feet gracelessly, vision tunneling down to almost nothing. He barely acknowledged Yann and Karl slapping his back; hardly heard them voicing their congratulations. 

By the time he had reached Amycus, the professor had released his hold on Albus and was now turned to address the entire class. “As much as you would all enjoy getting to show us what you’ve got, we don’t have enough time or resources to allow each and every one of you to participate.” While he was speaking, Amycus had begun twirling his wand around, forcing Albus and the other two prisoners to their knees in a row behind him.

Scorpius continued to chew through his lip, hands shaking so badly that he shoved them deep into his pockets to avoid suspicion. 

“So I chose a few of our finest to really give you all the best display of what these curses should look like.”

_No no no no please no._ Scorpius wanted to cry, wanted to scream, wanted to grab Albus and run as far away as he could. But he couldn’t do any of those things. All he could do was stand there and stare straight ahead, pretending he was somewhere else. 

“Goyle, step up.” Amycus barked. The tall girl moved forward, pulling her wand out of her robes as she did so. “Who can name one of the Unforgivable curses?”

“The Imperius Curse.” Came Yann’s voice from somewhere behind him. 

“Right you are.” Amycus gave another flick of his wand and suddenly the blindfolds were gone. The little girl cried out at the sudden burst of light and the tall boy merely winced, but Albus immediately looked around until he found Scorpius. His eyes were very wide and very green, made even more vibrant by the bloody red blotches surrounding his irises, and Scorpius felt something inside him break. “And who can tell me what the Imperius Curse does?” Amycus continued, unaware that Scorpius’ world was ending.

“Complete control.” Another voice piped up. 

“Very good, Sterling. The Imperius Curse gives you total control over another’s actions.” Amycus nodded towards the chained figures behind him. “Goyle, if you’d care to demonstrate.” Scorpius could only watch in silent horror as Goyle leveled her wand at the little girl.

“Please…” the poor girl sobbed. “Please don’t.” 

“ _Imperio._ ” Goyle barked, uncaring and completely focused.

Scorpius watched as all at once the pain and fear melted off of the girl’s face, her sobs quieting instantly. Her expression became blissfully blank, an absent smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. At first, nothing happened. The girl got to her feet and continued to stare straight ahead, her eyes far away and unnaturally bright. Scorpius let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

_Alright…_ He thought cautiously, unable to look away from the girl’s distant expression. Unease loomed over him like a cloud. _That can’t be it._

Almost as if Goyle had read his thoughts, Scorpius watched as the little girl moved, awkwardly grasping one of her fingers with her other hand. Before Scorpius could register what was about to happen, the girl yanked back, a sickening snap echoing throughout the room. Scorpius felt the blood drain from his face as the girl barely flinched, releasing the clearly broken digit before moving on to the next, eyes still a million miles away.

Unable to watch for a second longer, Scorpius ripped his eyes away from the scene before him and turned to Albus instead, desperately needing the sight of his best friend to keep him from drifting away. Albus, who had grown impossibly paler at the sound of the little girl’s bones breaking, stared back at Scorpius, undeniable panic visible with every shallow breath he took.

_What do I do?_ Scorpius wanted to scream. _You’ve always come up with the plans, and I’ve never felt so lost in my life._ He watched as Albus looked at him, head tilting and expression morphing into something that Scorpius couldn’t get his mind to understand. _I’m sorry._ He thought hysterically. _I don’t know what you want me to do._

Albus let out a short huff before he straightened his shoulders and pulled in an exaggeratedly long breath, letting it out just as slowly while looking at Scorpius with a pointed stare.

_Oh_. Scorpius took a painfully long breath, completely unaware that he had been hyperventilating until that slow, full inhale hit his desperately burning lungs. He continued to match Albus’ breathing, finally feeling sensation trickle back into his numb fingers. Scorpius didn’t know how long he stood there just looking at Albus and breathing, but he was abruptly pulled into the present by a dreadful high-pitched shriek.

With a start, Scorpius realized that Goyle had dropped the curse on the little girl and was now grinning smugly as the girl brought her ruined hands in towards her chest and sank slowly back to the ground. 

“Good work, Goyle.” Amycus praised as the little girl sobbed in the background. “Malfoy, you’re up next.” Scorpius could feel the bloodthirsty stares of the other students burning into his back as he took a stiff step forward and tried not to trip.

“Who can name another?” Amycus asked the class. 

_Please let me wake up._ Scorpius felt his breath stuttering in his chest once again. 

“The Cruciatus Curse.” Some student near the front called out.

_Shut up!_ Scorpius wanted to shriek. _Can’t you see what you’re doing? Doesn’t it bother you at all?_ He could see the way Albus tensed at the mention of that curse; could see the raw terror shining from his eyes. _How many times have they used this on you already?_ But Albus didn’t look away from him. In fact, he seemed to read Scorpius’ fear and instantly leaned towards him, the terror in his gaze giving way for something Scorpius’ hysterical brain still couldn’t comprehend.

“And what does the Cruciatus Curse do?” Amycus sneered at Albus and Scorpius had never wanted to hurt someone more, fury bubbling in his chest. Albus, for his part, kept his eyes fixed on Scorpius, ignoring the Death Eater practically breathing down his neck. It was then that Scorpius realized what Albus was trying to do. 

_He’s trying to comfort me._ Scorpius’ eyes widened as Albus tilted his head imperceptibly, confirming his suspicions. _You absolute idiot._ Scorpius thought with a small watery smile. _I should be the one comforting you. But instead..._

“It’s the fun curse!” Scorpius recognized Karl’s voice. Several other students spoke their agreement before Amycus half-heartedly quieted them down. 

“While that may be true, I was hoping for a more conventional answer.” 

“The Cruciatus Curse is used for torture.” If Scorpius hadn’t been looking directly at Albus, he wouldn’t have recognized the quiet, hoarse voice as his. Scorpius could only stare, open-mouthed, as Albus continued. “The curse causes intense, excruciating pain for whoever it is used on.” 

“Why you insolent little -” Amycus growled as he slashed his wand through the air. Scorpius choked on a cry of dismay as a fresh cut opened up across Albus’ cheek. Scorpius felt as if Amycus had cursed him as well, pain sparking across his face as he watched Albus flinch away. “Carry on, Malfoy.” Amycus hissed, glaring daggers at Albus. “Looks like this one’s asking for it.”

“I...I…” Scorpius faltered, hand so numb he could barely feel the wand between his fingers. _I can’t do this. I can’t DO THIS._

“Is there a problem, Mr. Malfoy?” Amycus’ slick voice was like a bucket of ice in his face. 

“N-no, I -” Scorpius looked at Albus wildly, eyes wide. _What do I do?!_ He watched as Albus took a deep breath and blinked slowly as if to say, _“It’s ok,”_ before bowing his head and relaxing his shoulders. 

_This is the furthest thing from ok!_ Scorpius wanted to cry, could feel tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. _But what choice do I have? If I don’t do this, someone else will and then they’ll know something isn’t right with me._ A wave of cold washed over his body as he forced himself to level his wand at his best friend’s face, panic sucking away any breath he had left. _Please forgive me._

“ _C-crucio._ ” Scorpius choked. Albus twitched slightly but didn’t scream and didn’t collapse to the floor like Scorpius was dreading. Instead, he looked back up at Scorpius, eyes wincing with sympathy.

“What was that?” a voice mocked.

“Yeah, come on Malfoy. My grandmother could do better than that!”

“Stop playing with your food!”

“I -I -” Scorpius stammered. _I’m not going to be able to do this._

“Scorpion King getting a little shy, eh?” Amycus chuckled as he placed what was supposed to be a supporting hand on his shoulder. Scorpius flinched away without thinking, arm burning where Carrow had touched him. “Remember, you have to mean it when you use this curse.” Amycus continued, talking more to the whole class now.

_And that’s why I’m going to fail._ Scorpius could feel his mask breaking, shattering along with any hope of escape he had left. _I’ll never be able to cast that curse because I’d rather die than hurt Albus._

“Here, Malfoy. It appears you need a little encouragement.” Carrow’s awful voice pulled Scorpius’ attention away from Albus for a split second. Even though he was hearing Carrow’s words, they weren’t breaking through the cotton that had stuffed itself around his brain. He didn’t understand why Amycus was pointing his own wand at Albus until it was too late. 

_No, NO WAIT._

“ _Crucio!_ ” 

And then Albus was screaming. 

Scorpius wanted to scream as well, but the sound stuck in his throat as he watched Albus drop to the floor and scream, his voice nothing more than a painful, hoarse shout.

_Please stop please stop stop STOP._

Yet it continued.

Someone near him was laughing, the sound coming to Scorpius as if he were underwater. All he could do was dig his nails into the exposed skin on his forearm and watch as Amycus tortured his best friend, watched as he shuddered and seized under the effects of the curse, heard him scream until his voice gave out completely.

Finally, Amycus lifted his wand and turned to face Scorpius, leaving Albus in a crumpled heap on the floor behind him. “There you are, Malfoy. Consider the ice broken.” Scorpius forced himself to tighten his unsteady grip on his wand, revulsion twisting his stomach in an iron grip. 

_I’m not supposed to be a pleasant person here._ He thought bleakly. _They expect me to do this without hesitation._

“Come on, Malfoy.” Albus choked, looking up at him, his bloody eyes so full of trust that Scorpius wanted to throw up. “Think you can do better than that?” Looking down at Albus’ bruised face, the awful gash that Umbridge had given him their first night here angry and red, Scorpius was pulled back to the shores of the lake and what he had told himself there.

_Whatever it takes to survive._ Scorpius forced air into his shriveled lungs with an unsteady breath. _I only have to do this once._ Just once and that was it. Once. He stared at Albus, searching for an escape, anything to confirm that this was the only way. All he was met with was Albus’ determined face, jaw clenched tightly and eyes glazed. Scorpius forced back the bile he felt rising in the back of his throat and gripped his wand tightly.

“ _Crucio._ ”

Scorpius didn’t think that Albus would have a voice left after what Amycus had done to him. So when Albus let out a raspy whine and curled in on himself, trembling violently against the stones, Scorpius very nearly dropped his wand in horror.

_No...no. I couldn’t have… I don’t -_

“Atta boy, Malfoy.” He vaguely heard Amycus say. “Show him what it means to talk back to his superiors.”

Albus choked on another miserable cry, blood from his arm and face dripping onto the floor as he convulsed. With a horrible gasp, Scorpius’ wand slipped from his fingers, the wood clattering against the stone floor with a deafening finality. His heart was beating so hard that he could feel it behind his eyes. There was an awful bitter taste at the back of his tongue that he couldn’t seem to get rid of, throat too thick to swallow past anyway. Scorpius stared at Albus, who was shaking so badly that his teeth were chattering. 

_I’m sorry...I’m sorry… I’m so sorry._ Scorpius fought with all his strength to hold back a whimper as Amycus clapped him on the back.

“There you go, boy. I knew you had it in you.” Dazed, Scorpius found himself nodding, anything to get away from the monster touching him. “Now -” Amycus turned back to the class and the rest of his words faded away into indistinguishable background chatter as Scorpius bent down numbly to retrieve his wand. 

_I just tortured my best friend in a room full of Death Eaters._ As his fingertips touched the polished wood, an almost inaudible cough from Albus nearly caused him to fall flat on his face. Unable to help himself, Scorpius glanced up to see Albus looking back at him. But instead of the fear and hurt that he expected to see, he found reassurance. 

_You did what you had to._ He seemed to be trying to say as Scorpius found himself frozen in an awkward crouch on the floor, arm still reaching out for his wand. 

_I’m sorry…_ Was all Scorpius could think as Albus slowly pushed himself off the stones, shifting until he was sitting instead of curled in a heap. _I’m sorry._ He was so intent on trying to make Albus understand how incredibly sorry he was that he didn’t catch Amycus’ next question to the class. But he did hear the response as loudly as if it had been shouted directly into his ear.

“The Killing Curse. Avada Kedavra.” The class already crazed after seeing both the little girl and Albus’ pain, was practically rabid now, shoving each other aside to get the best view. 

_They wouldn’t._ Scorpius looked to Albus. _There’s no way…_ He scrambled to his feet as he hastily grabbed his wand and shoved it back into his robes, disliking the feel of the tool he had used to hurt Albus.

“Nott, if you please.” Amycus stepped aside, gesturing to the tall boy who’s eyes had gone impossibly wide but remained quiet. Needing no further instruction, Nott drew his wand and pointed it steadily at the boy in front of him, not a trace of hesitation anywhere in his stance. 

The boy didn’t cower; didn’t beg or plead. He just stared Nott right in the face, silent tears dripping down his cheeks. 

Scorpius couldn’t hear Nott speak through the blood pounding in his ears, but the sudden blinding flash of green light was enough to send him stumbling backward several steps as he watched the lifeless body of the boy crumple to the floor. 

He couldn’t hear Albus’ shout but could see the shock wash over his face, and he knew that his expression must look the same. 

Scorpius saw the exact moment that Albus processed what had just happened mere feet from him, and the first sound that rushed back into his senses was Albus’ terrified cry as he scrambled away from the dead child next to him. Now Scorpius had no trouble understanding the desperate look in Albus’ eyes.

_Please help me. I’m scared._

And that was the last Scorpius saw, because Amycus replaced the blindfolds on both Albus and the little girl with an offhand flick of his wand as he congratulated Nott. “Wonderful work today, class. I’ll be sure to write your father, Nott. I know he’d be proud.” Scorpius’ stomach clenched horribly as he watched the rest of the class applauding the murderer like he had just won the house cup. 

_I’m going to be sick._ Scorpius looked around wildly; the sight of Albus folding in on himself, shoulders shaking with silent sobs twisted his stomach with another dangerous heave. The urge to reach out and pull Albus into his arms was so powerful that Scorpius caught himself taking a step forward before he forced himself back, heart-aching fiercely. 

“Class dismissed.” Amycus barked with a wave of his hand. “I’ll leave you to deal with the trash.” He gestured towards the chained figures on the floor with a casual glance. “But please make sure they get back to where they belong in relatively one piece. Well, at least the ones going back there.”

_This is my chance_. Scorpius fought back his rising nausea and took a nonchalant step towards Albus. _If I can just get him away from these...these monsters for even a moment…_ Goyle was already hauling the little girl to her feet, her laughter ugly and cruel as the girl struggled weakly in her grip. Scorpius couldn’t even look at the body of the boy, not wanting to remind himself of what had happened. He just wanted to get to Albus. _Needed_ to get to Albus. 

He froze in his tracks when Amycus turned away from the class and instead of going back into his office and leaving the brutalized kids to the class like he said he would, he stopped next to Albus and stared down at him with a frightening smirk. Scorpius almost screamed when Amycus reached down, grabbed a hold of Albus’ hair and wrenched his head backwards with a brutal yank.

_Haven’t you done enough?_ Scorpius wanted to cry as Amycus held Albus there like that for a moment, the man seeming to savor Albus’ absolute helplessness. _How can you all be this cruel?_ He could only watch as Amycus leaned down so that his mouth was inches away from Albus’ ear, stomach twisting horribly when Albus tried to pull away with a quiet whine.

“I know who you are, boy.” Scorpius could just make out what Amycus was saying, each word sinking in his chest like lead. “Headmistress told me just this morning. Did your Daddy ever tell you what he did to me right before the Battle of Hogwarts?” 

When he didn’t get a response, Amycus gave a sharp tug, pulling a broken “No,” out of Albus’ ruined throat.

“Your Daddy dared raise a wand to me,” Amycus growled. “Dared attack me with the Cruciatus Curse. Oh, he paid for it in the end, the filth. And now I suppose you did as well; how fitting I get to repay the favor to his son.” He leaned in impossibly closer. “I look forward to the next time.” Before Scorpius even had time to react, Amycus yanked Albus to his feet and dragged him forward, other students stepping aside to make way. 

Scorpius felt like he was floating ten feet above himself as he stood rooted to the spot, unable to make a single move to help his best friend as he was hauled out of the classroom by Amycus. _Move, you useless lump._ Scorpius felt like he was in a fog. _Do something!_ But he couldn’t. Deep down he knew that the only thing he could do to help Albus now was to figure out a way home.

Scorpius’ feet carried him halfway out of the classroom before he realized that he was moving, and he managed to wobble almost to the Slytherin common room before throwing up behind a statue of some spindly cloaked wizard.

_I just watched someone die._ Scorpius braced himself against the wall, pressing his forehead against the cold stones. A nasty thought shot through his mind. _That could’ve been Albus._ Scorpius felt his insides clench again, threatening to force up even more from his empty stomach. _I need to work faster before it’s too late._

He heard footsteps approaching rapidly from behind him so Scorpius turned around, not wanting to be seen heaving behind a crummy old statue. _That wouldn’t be very kingly of me, now would it._ Scorpius had to fight back a groan when he caught sight of Yann and Karl running towards him at full speed. _Excellent. Just what I need right now._ Scorpius thought dryly as he raised his hand in a half-hearted wave.

“Hey, Scorpion King!” Karl called out while high fiving one of Scorpius’ flailing hands. Hard.

_If I hear that loathsome title one more time…_ Scorpius thought weakly as he attempted some expression that didn’t scream ‘I-just-threw-up-behind-a-statue.’

“We’re still on, right, for tonight?” Yann asked enthusiastically as Karl cut in.

“Because we are ready to spill some proper Mudblood guts! Especially after that lesson” 

Before Scorpius could even react to what the boys were saying, Yann and Karl saluted him with that ridiculous scorpion hiss before they ran off down the hallway. 

_Mudblood guts...what are they going on about?_ Scorpius didn’t want to find out. Exhaustion weighed heavy on his shoulders and he wanted nothing more than to go lay down. Before he could take two steps, an unexpected voice called out his name.

_Polly Chapman?_ Scorpius turned around hesitantly, legs almost giving out when he caught sight of Polly herself leaning against the railing of the nearest staircase, staring down at him with a coy smile.

_Oh Dumbledore, help me._

“Shall we cut to it?” Polly said. “I know everyone is waiting to know who you’re going to ask because, you know, you need to ask someone and I’ve been asked by three people already and I know I’m not alone in refusing them all. In case, you know, you were to ask me.” She batted her eyelashes at him and Scorpius felt his brain cease to exist.

“Right.” He managed to force out, gaping at Polly like a deer in headlights. _What on earth…_ Polly, seemingly unfazed by Scorpius’ stammering, pressed on.

“Which would be great. If you were interested. Which rumor is, you are. And I just want to make clear, at this moment, that I am also interested. And that isn’t a rumor that is a f-a-c-t, fact.”

“That’s ummm...great but, what are we talking about?” Scorpius asked weakly, wanting nothing more than to leave this positively bizarre situation. _This reality is really and truly too much._

“The Blood Ball, of course.” Polly looked at him in disbelief. “Who you, the Scorpion King, are taking to the Blood Ball?” Before Scorpius could open his mouth to ask what on earth the Blood Ball was, a sharp scream echoed throughout the corridors. Scorpius felt his shoulders tense in alarm, but Polly didn’t so much as flinch.

“Where is that coming from?” He fought to keep his voice under control. _I have to know for sure._

“The Mudbloods, in the dungeons, of course.” Polly looked at him like he had grown a second head. “Your idea wasn’t it?” Scorpius recoiled at that, processing what she had just said.

_My...my idea?_ _In this world… I, Scorpius Malfoy, had the idea to torture other students? In the dungeons?_ Scorpius went numb with shock. _It’s my fault that Albus is down there._

“What’s going on with you?” Polly looked truly concerned as she took a step down toward him, but paused with a groan of disgust. “Oh Potter, I’ve got blood on my shoes again…” Scorpius could only watch in mute horror as she wiped her bloody shoes against the bottom step. With a sigh and a toss of her perfectly maintained curls, she continued. “Like the Augurey insists, the future is ours to make. So here I am, making a future...with you.” In any other circumstances, gaining this sort of attention from Polly Chapman of all people would have sent Scorpius into a giddy mess. But here? He stared as Polly leaned over the railing towards him. “For Voldemort and Valor.” She saluted him with that same crossed wrist flip that Scorpius still felt sick trying to do. 

“For Voldemort it is,” Scorpius replied, fumbling his way through a half-hearted attempt at the salute. His thoughts were too busy running a mile a minute at the new information he had just received about who he was expected to be in this world.

_How did this happen?_ Scorpius thought bleakly. _Is this what I’m really like, deep inside? Someone who tortures other students for fun? Someone who celebrates their blood status by being an absolute prick?_ He tugged at the hem of his robes to try and still his nervous fingers. _I don’t know how much longer I can keep up this lie._ _Or is it even a lie after all? Is this who I really am?_ He immediately felt disgusted with himself for thinking what he was going through was hard. 

_You just tortured your best friend._ A nasty voice in his head snarled. _At least you get to walk freely around the castle._

Scorpius let out a groan, pressing his palms harshly into his eyes. He needed to stop wallowing in self-pity when Albus had it so much worse. Exhaustion was forgotten as Scorpius straightened his robes reflexively and turned on his heel, heading in the direction of the Great Hall as opposed to his room. He needed to get more serious about his plan to get out of here. He was going to make it to the damn library if it killed him.

_Apparently in this world, it very well could._ Scorpius shook his head. _No. No room for thoughts like that._ After witnessing the abhorrent Dark Arts class that he was forced to participate in, Scorpius found that his bone-deep panic was beginning to be accompanied by determination. _I need to hurry up and figure this out, or Albus is going to die._

  
 _New plan._ Scorpius thought firmly. _Go to dinner and be as social as expected. Stuff as many sandwiches in pockets as possible without raising suspicion. After dinner avoid Yann and Karl at all costs. Go find Albus; whatever it takes._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, you wanted the boys together... Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for your comments and kudos, it means a lot!


	5. Chapter 5

Scorpius was rather proud of himself for managing to keep down an entire plate of roast chicken and vegetables; the most he’d eaten at any meal here so far. He suspected that his mission of covertly stuffing as many sandwiches into his pockets as possible had something to do with keeping his mind occupied and the sickening panic at bay. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice the Scorpion King sneaking sandwiches. They were too busy going on about their Dark Arts lesson, continuing to congratulate Nott on a job well done. Scorpius even managed to avoid Yann and Karl, who had occupied themselves with seeing how many sprouts they could fit in their mouth at one time.

Unfortunately, just as he made to stand up, two students who he recognized to be the Goyle and Rosier girls slid into the bench across from him followed closely by none other than Polly Chapman. “Um.” Scorpius stared dumbly ahead, halfway out of his seat. 

“So, Scorpion King.” Polly exaggerated his ridiculous title while Goyle and Rosier giggled behind their hands.

“Yes, Polly Chapman?” Scorpius slid back into his seat, apparently not going anywhere yet.

“So are you taking me to the Blood Ball or not?” 

“Didn’t you just ask me a few hours ago?” Scorpius just wanted to leave. _Needed_ to leave. Had to stay focused on his plan or the ever-rising panic would surge up and swallow him whole. “Don’t I have some time to think about it?”

“I didn’t realize that it was going to be such a difficult decision.” Polly sulked. “Besides, the ball is this Friday, and today is Tuesday so you’re already cutting it pretty close.” She crossed her arms. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright? You’ve been acting so strangely.”

“Yeah.” Goyle added. “You should’ve seen him in Dark Arts class. Couldn’t get a good Cruciatus out without help.” Scorpius felt his face heating up. So his poor performance had been abnormal enough to be noticed. _Damn._

“I - I’ve just been really tired.” He tried to give the girls his most pathetic pout, forcing a huge yawn as he did so. “And that thing in class; I don’t know what got into me.” Flashes of Albus’ terrified face, a brilliant green light, and the snapping of bones invaded his mind abruptly and Scorpius forced back a wince. _What got into me indeed._

“You need to take better care of yourself.” Rosier simpered as she leaned across the table towards him. “You’ve looked so peaky the last few days. Have you been eating enough?” She reached over to grab a platter piled with rolls.

“No, no I don’t -” Scorpius trailed off as he put no less than 3 rolls on his previously empty plate. “Thanks.” He half-heartedly picked one up and took a tiny nibble, hopefully appeasing the three girls who were staring at him with rapt attention. The taste was like ash on his tongue, but when the smell of the freshly baked bread hit his nose he was reminded of another girl who was nowhere to be found in this world and his heart _ached._

“T-thanks. Right you are.” Scorpius mumbled. “I’ll just be off to bed then?” 

“Wait, Scorpius!” Polly reached out and grabbed a hold of his hand as he attempted to stand again. “You never answered me.” 

“S-sure, Polly.” Scorpius fought the urge to pull his hand out of her grasp. It felt so wrong and so out of place. _What does it even matter? I won’t even be here when this ball happens. Hopefully._

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Rosier made as if she were going to grab Scorpius’ other hand. “We just sat down!”

“Back off, Emma.” Polly snapped. 

“Ugh, come on Gwen.” Rosier - _Emma_ \- Scorpius thought faintly, stood with a huff. “Looks like Polly wants some alooone time.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Goyle - _Gwen_ \- and the two burst into a fit of giggles. 

“You two are insufferable!” Polly yelled at their retreating backs as they flounced their way out of the Great Hall, laughter echoing off of the walls. 

Scorpius felt a deep ache in his heart as he watched Emma and Gwen run off giggling. What he wouldn’t give to have Albus here right now, where he belongs. With that thought, he felt a renewed sense of urgency to leave the Great Hall immediately. “Look, Polly. Ros - I mean Emma was right. I haven’t been feeling good and I really think I just need to go lay down.” Scorpius tried to delicately extract his hand from Polly’s grip. He could feel students staring at the two of them, and as he risked a glance up he noticed that Yann and Karl were gone. 

_Well, that solves one problem. Now I don’t have to try and sneak past them._

“But -”

“Really!” Scorpius snapped as he ripped his hand away and got to his feet. “I’m tired and I want to go to bed.” Polly stared at him, her mouth open slightly. Scorpius deflated. _Too sharp._ “I’ll meet you in the entrance hall at 7? Friday?” Polly’s face immediately lit up in a wide grin which Scorpius found mildly disconcerting. The way she seemed to flip between emotions so rapidly set his teeth on edge.

“That sounds lovely.” She beamed as she got to her feet. Before Scorpius could blink, she was in his space, practically up against him, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. “I can’t wait.” He didn’t have time to think, let alone move, before her face was right in front of his, one hand coming to rest on his shoulder. 

_Oh god, wait what is she -_

Scorpius’ brain stuttered to a halt when Polly’s lips collided with his. He froze, eyes going wide. He couldn’t _think_. Couldn’t do anything but stare as Polly seemed to respond to his lack of reaction by stepping impossibly closer, her eyes fluttering shut in apparent bliss. Scorpius’ thoughts had been replaced by a steady high-pitched ringing that continued as Polly finally pulled away, a satisfied look on her face. Without saying another word, she gave Scorpius one last smile before walking away, a definite spring in her step. 

_What. WHAT?!_

Scorpius whipped around, needing someone else to confirm that what just happened wasn’t a figment of his imagination because there was no way that he was just kissed by Polly Chapman. Albus. Albus would tell him. In fact, he was surprised that his friend wasn’t already pouncing him for details. “Did - did you see that, Al -” His words caught in his throat when he remembered where he was and what was happening. His heart sank like a stone at the abrupt reminder that he was alone and that Albus was still in terrible danger. 

_Stupid, inconsiderate, selfish, PRICK._ Scorpius thought bitterly as he fought the urge to wipe his mouth. _Standing here letting Polly Chapman snog you after you’ve eaten your fill of whatever you please while you should’ve been figuring out how to get out of here._ Incredibly furious with himself, Scorpius stalked out of the Great Hall, ignoring anyone who tried to get his attention. 

It took every inch of Scorpius’ remaining self-control not to sprint to the Slytherin common room and lock himself in his room for the rest of the night. _Albus._ He thought firmly. _I need to get to Albus as soon as possible. I need to tell him… need to tell him what exactly? I’m sorry for using an Unforgivable curse on you? I’m sorry for torturing you in front of an entire class? Sorry that I’ve been being snogged by Polly Chapman while god knows what is happening to you?_

In that instant, Scorpius was filled with such a sense of self-loathing that he felt his dinner shift uncomfortably in his stomach. _He’s never going to want to see me again, and I don’t blame him. I just have to get him home, and then he can hate me all he wants._

Scorpius muttered the password to the common room door with a heavy sigh, cringing at the sound of such a vile thing coming out of his mouth. Several other students were lounging about the room, and a few of them even scooted over to make room on the couch for him, but Scorpius only had eyes for his bedroom door. However, a white bit of parchment charmed to his door caught his eye as he made his way across the room, ignoring the other students trying to get his attention.

_Scorpion King,_

_We decided to head to the dungeons a bit early for some extra fun; please join us when you can._

_YF & KJ _

“The dungeons?” Scorpius read out loud, trying to make his exhausted brain put meaning behind the words. “Why on earth -” And then it hit him like a blow to the chest, knocking the breath right out of him. _Oh Merlin, spill some proper mudblood guts, they said. The students in the dungeons._

Scorpius yanked the note off of the door and crumpled it up in a shaking fist, pulse pounding loudly in his ears. He was afraid, but not for himself. He was afraid for Albus, and that was all it took for his fear to give way to seething rage. Scorpius let the crumpled up note fall from his hand as he stalked out of the common room, no one trying to get his attention this time. He didn’t run until he was in the corridor and the door closed behind him.

_Albus. Albus. Albus._ _I have to get to Albus._

Truth be told, Scorpius only had a vague idea where the deeper dungeons were from the tour he was given by the Slytherin prefect in his first year. But he knew they were close. And he knew he was heading in the right direction when he turned a corner and ran face to face with a dementor. Under any other circumstances, Scorpius would have turned and run in the other direction, a wave of sickening fear crashing over him. He could hear his mother whispering in his ear. But tonight, every other emotion was being swept away by a fury, unlike anything he had ever experienced.

_They let dementors inside the school? Guarding children no less? Bloody hell…_

“Let me through,” Scorpius growled, trying to sound as imposing as his father. “I have business with our guests.” He glared at the towering figure, slowly grasping the handle of his wand just in case. Much to his surprise, the dementor floated away from him and further down the corridor. Without hesitation, Scorpius ran after it. He knew that normal, not angry Scorpius would be a cowering mess on the floor right about now, but this new angry Scorpius didn’t have room for fear. He heard voices now, echoing off of the grimy stone walls. Three voices to be exact. Two laughing cruelly and another much fainter and harder to make out. There suddenly came a sharp cry of pain and Scorpius swore he saw red.

_Albus._

He sprinted towards the voices, towards Albus, and stopped in front of the door that he heard the yelling coming from. With an enraged shout, he slashed his wand at the door, blasting it wide open in a burst of brilliant blue light. The sight that he was met with caused his blood to boil and vision go dark around the edges. “The _hell_ do you think you’re doing?”

_________________________________________________

  
  


Albus didn’t know how long he had been left alone. It could’ve been minutes or days since Carrow had dragged him back down here. The absolute blackness was wreaking havoc on his sanity. He kept seeing things moving in the shadows, even though he knew he was absolutely alone down here.

What was worse was that there was nothing to distract him from replaying the horrible things that had happened in that classroom. The sickening crunch of bones snapping. Scorpius’ ashen face. A blinding flash of green light and the sound of death whooshing through the room. Albus let out a watery sigh. Squeezing his eyes shut didn’t help. It didn’t matter. Those images were seared into his memory, and he doubted that he’d be forgetting them any time soon.

In the deafening silence, Albus could just make out two voices laughing from somewhere down the corridor, and they were coming closer. 

_Please no._ Albus wanted to scream. _Just leave me alone._ He pushed himself off the floor with enormous effort, arms shaking terribly as he struggled to his feet. The need to move from his highly vulnerable position on the floor was strong enough to numb the sharp pain in his knees and he was able to stagger over to the corner, where he hoped he could just fade into the blackness.

Standing was a challenge, Albus found. The longer he remained upright, the worse his muscle spasms became _. I'm sick of taking this lying down_. He thought stubbornly. But no amount of stubbornness kept his heart from seizing in fear when the door to his cell swung open.

“My, my what have we here?” Albus lifted his gaze to see none other than Yann and Karl. He didn't especially enjoy encounters with those two in his own world, and something was telling him he wasn't going to like them any better here. 

“A mangy niffler,” Albus said hotly before he could stop himself. “What does it look like?”

“Ooo, another little _mudblood_ with an attitude.” Karl taunted as he stalked closer. Albus hoped he couldn’t see just how badly his legs were shaking. “Disrespecting the Scorpion King? Well we can’t have that.” Albus wasn’t listening as the two continued to hurl threats in his direction. In their eagerness to harass him, they had left the cell door cracked open behind them.

_If I could just get past…_ The opportunity for freedom was almost too much for Albus to take. Yann and Karl came closer, circling around on either side of him like predators stalking their next meal. _It’s now or never._ He pushed himself off of the wall with as much strength as he could, startling Yann and Karl enough to make them take a step back, and ran for the door. 

His head was pounding, his body was screaming at him to stop, and he couldn’t really even see straight because he was so dizzy, but he managed to take one step outside the door before someone grabbed him from behind. “Let go!” Albus panicked and brought his elbow backward in a clumsy jab that miraculously connected with whoever was holding him. They loosened their grip with a wheeze, and Albus once again tried to bolt through the door. 

He didn’t make it far before a heavy blow to his temple knocked him into the doorframe with a sickening thud. He didn’t even have time to collapse to the floor before someone wrapped one arm around his waist and another around his neck, keeping him upright despite his body screaming at him to go lay down. “Think you’re pretty clever, huh?” Yann hissed in his ear as he dragged him back into the cell, Karl being sure to close the door behind them. The room was spinning ferociously now and Albus fought the urge to puke as he trembled weakly in Yann’s grip, head throbbing in time with his frantically beating heart. 

“Not really.” Albus slurred, reaching up to pull at the arm Yann had wrapped around his bruised throat. “I was always rubbish in classes.” Any semblance of energy he had was long gone, used up in his panicked bid for freedom. And now he was trapped in a room with two bullies and no restrictions on what they could do to him. Resigned to his fate, he stopped struggling against Yann’s hold on him.

“Did you really think you could get away from us?” Karl scoffed, stepping up so that he was almost toe to toe with Albus. He reached out and gave his cheek an insulting pat, being sure to hit the freshest wound as he did so.

_No._ Albus winced. _I suppose I didn’t._ He was getting extraordinarily tired of people touching him and being in his space. “Let go of me.” He tried to spit out with as much venom as he could muster, voice not nearly as strong as he wanted it to be. Karl let out a loud laugh. 

“Whatever you say.” And with that, Yann abruptly released his hold on Albus, sending him crashing to the floor. “You think you’re a smart little shit, don’t you?”

“Already gave you the answer to that one.” Albus lashed out, fear clouding what little judgment he had left. “You should really pay attention -” He was silenced by a crushing kick to his stomach that immediately knocked his breath out with a pathetic wheeze. 

“Disrespectful. Filth.” Yann said through gritted teeth, each word punctuated with another brutal kick at Albus’ ribs. “Worthless. Waste. Of. Magic.” Albus felt bile rising in his throat with each blow and he tried to curl in on himself to protect his ribs. Karl simply joined in by kicking at his back and Albus didn’t know which hurt worse. 

“You’re not even worth wasting magic on.” Karl laughed, aiming a particularly brutal kick at Albus’ shoulder. Albus tried to tuck his head between his elbows when Karl’s foot came too close to his face, but Yann reached down and hauled him to his feet. He let out a sharp cry when Yann slammed him up against the wall, his head bouncing against the stones once again. He could just barely see Yann drawing back to hit him and he tried to bring his hands up to cover his face.

_Oh Merlin, please make the room stop spinning._ Albus squeezed his eyes shut and prayed he wouldn’t puke. He didn’t think he could survive whatever pain his ribs would be in if he puked. The sound of the door suddenly slamming open caused Yann to stop mid-punch and Albus could barely bring himself to look over at whatever newcomer had arrived. 

“The _hell_ do you think you’re doing?” Albus would recognize that voice anywhere.

_________________________________________________

  
  


Scorpius thrust his wand at Yann, a jet of purple light burning into his hands. He immediately released Albus with a cry of pain, large blisters growing rapidly across his skin. “You dare come down here without me?” Scorpius growled, flicking his wand out again. This time both Karl and Yann were sent flying backward into the wall, landing in a heap on the filthy floor. “You think I’m incapable of finishing my own business?” Scorpius continued, stalking towards the boys with a predatory glare. 

“What? N-no.” Karl stammered, holding up his hands in an attempt to placate him.

“Not at all!” Yann added frantically. 

“This one challenged me.” Scorpius cut in, jerking his head towards where he thought Albus had landed. “In front of the entire class. You think I’m just going to let that go?”

“We just thought -”

“And that was your mistake right there.” Scorpius snapped. “Trying to think.” He stood over the pair, watching them shrink under his glare. He felt a deadly calm wash over him as he examined Yann and Karl recoiling into the dirt. “If I find that you’ve come here again, you will regret it for quite some time.” A jet of red sparks shot out of his wand and the pair jumped in alarm, much to Scorpius’ grim satisfaction. He let them cower there for a moment, enjoying the feeling of finally having some semblance of control over his circumstances before a small sound of pain from behind him snapped him out of the moment. 

_Albus…_

“Get up,” Scorpius said sharply, taking a step back to allow the boys to scramble to their feet, faces pale and eyes wide. _Good._ He found himself smirking as he took in their fear. _I hope you’re half as scared as these poor students locked down here._

“R-right, sure.” Yann babbled as Karl shuffled his feet anxiously.

“Look, we’re sorry,” Karl added. “We didn’t -”

“This cell is off-limits.” Scorpius carried on as if Karl hadn’t even opened his mouth. He aimed his wand at their feet. The ground exploded in a shower of dust and rock fragments, sending the pair careening backward. “To everyone. Do I make myself clear?” 

“C-crystal.” Yann squeaked. Karl could only nod. 

“Then get out.” Scorpius snarled. His wand followed Yann and Karl as they stumbled over themselves to get to the door. He watched them share one last frightened glance before nodding frantically and taking off down the hallway.

Without a moment of hesitation, the door slammed shut with an errant jab of Scorpius’ wand. “ _Colloportus_ ,” he muttered as he fought the urge to fling the door back open and chase down Yann and Karl. “ _Muffliato.”_ Scorpius forced out, suddenly finding that speaking was getting increasingly difficult due to the fact that his voice refused to work. With a frustrated groan, he swung around and spit out one last spell. “ _Lumos._ ”

Instantly, the small room was lit up with a warm white glow, and Scorpius felt some of the tension of the evening begin to ease. He let out a shaky sigh and tugged at the collar of his uncomfortable robes. However, the brief moment of relief crashed down around him when he finally caught sight of Albus cowering in the corner, eyes blown wide with a terror so strong that Scorpius felt his breath leave him with a painful gasp. 

“Oh. Oh no, Albus. I - I’m -” Scorpius babbled helplessly as he took a reflexive step forward, everything in him screaming to go and help his best friend. Scorpius’ blood ran cold when Albus flinched away from him, a small whine scraping out of his bruised throat. “No, no it - it’s…” Scorpius stammered weakly as he moved back out of Albus’ space.

_Of course, he’s scared._ Scorpius thought as he slowly lowered himself to the ground against the opposite wall from Albus, clearly telegraphing every move he made so as not to frighten his friend more. _I tortured him in a room full of people who laughed at his pain._ He placed his lit wand just in front of him and then sat as still as he could, trying with all his might to look as non-threatening and open as possible.

At first, he just sat there, listening to Albus’ ragged breathing slowly begin to even out. Scorpius stayed silent as he watched the frightened fog lift from his eyes. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, feeling tears welling in his own eyes. “I’m so so sorry for what I did to you. I didn’t know what else to do and I couldn’t… I didn’t think that… didn’t think I could cast - ”

“You didn’t”

“What?” Scorpius was sure he was hearing things.

“You didn’t” Albus repeated a little stronger than before. “I faked it.” Scorpius could only stare dumbly ahead, Albus’ words not making sense to him.

“But… but I saw… I heard you…”

“I faked it.” Albus grimaced as a muscle spasm momentarily knocked the breath from his lungs. “Figured I knew what it was supposed to look like by now, so.” 

This new revelation, knowing that he hadn’t been responsible for some of Albus’ pain, was all at once too much for Scorpius to take. The terror and anxiety of the past few days crashed into him with all the ferocity of a steam engine and the next thing he knew he was crying, deep ugly sobs that he couldn’t hold back no matter how hard he tried.

“Scorpius?” Albus was staring at him, obviously concerned. This only caused Scorpius to cry harder.

“I-I’m so s-sorry.” he forced out. “I don’t know w-what’s the m-matter with me.” He scrubbed at his eyes bitterly, trying to stop the tears. “I’m b-being so _stupid._ Down here crying when y-you… you’ve b-been…” Scorpius gave up, sobs making it impossible to breathe let alone talk. He buried his face in his hands, pulse pounding in his ears. 

_How can you be down here sobbing like a baby when you have no right to?_ Scorpius thought furiously. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a light tough on his knee. Jolting upright, he stared with eyes wide, not prepared for the sight he was met with. 

Albus had somehow made his way across the room without him realizing and was now hunched against the wall next to him, one tentative hand on his leg. Scorpius caught a glimpse of the torn and bruised skin on his wrist and almost shrank away in shame, but then Albus was pressed up against Scorpius' side, one arm wrapped fiercely around his middle and face hidden against his shoulder.

“I missed you.” Albus breathed, voice muffled by Scorpius’ awful stuffy robes. And that was all the invitation Scorpius needed. He immediately pulled Albus impossibly closer, being careful not to jostle his cuts and bruises, and just held him. He could feel Albus’ shoulders shaking, and Scorpius gently rubbed aimless circles against his back just like his mother used to do for him when he was crying.

“I missed you too,” he said, voice thick. “I missed you so much.” They sat like that for a long time, Albus clinging to Scorpius as tightly as he could and Scorpius just rocking him gently and letting him sob silently into his shoulder. Scorpius didn’t know what to feel. On one hand, he was finally back with Albus and the hole in his gut seemed to be mending. On the other hand, seeing the state that he was in, especially considering that in the four years he’d known him, Scorpius had never seen Albus cry once. And that alone was enough to break his already shattered heart. 

Albus’ stomach growled, breaking the silence and dragging Scorpius out of his spiraling thoughts with a jolt. “Oh no! I’m so sorry!” Scorpius mentally berated himself for so easily forgetting the food he’d brought. “I’d completely forgotten.” He shoved one hand into his pocket while still keeping a steady arm around Albus’ shoulders, and withdrew one of the sandwiches he had managed to smuggle. “Ta-da!” Albus lifted his head, taking more effort than Scorpius was comfortable with, and stared at the proffered sandwich with a look of awe. “I’m afraid they might be a little squashy by now, but I reckon they’ll taste just fine.” Scorpius continued, pressing the sandwich into Albus’ hand. “I’ve been stuffing them in my pockets whenever I thought no one was watching. I’m sorry it took me so long to get down here, but it appears that everyone in this school wants a moment of my time and let me tell you that I am so not used to this much attention.” 

Scorpius could tell that he was rambling now, but he couldn’t seem to stop. “It-it's just so much, and I… well I suppose I really have no right to complain.” He trailed off. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Scorp.” Albus murmured. “It’s nice to hear your voice.” He looked at the sandwich for a moment. “Hey, Scorp?”

“Yeah?”

“Not to sound ungrateful or anything, because I’m definitely not.” Albus started, apprehension heavy in his voice. “But you wouldn’t happen to have any water hiding in those ridiculous robes, would you?” It was only then that Scorpius noticed that for how heavily Albus had been crying, his face was practically dry and his lips were so cracked that the bottom one had split open, blood trickling sluggishly down his chin.

“Have - have you been given anything down here?” Scorpius breathed, heart plummeting into his feet when Albus shook his head no. “Not even water?” Another shake. “Oh god... _oh god_ .” Scorpius fumbled for his wand, not missing Albus’ flinch when his fingers closed around its handle. “ _Accio_ .” he pointed it clumsily at a decent-sized chunk of flooring that he had blasted loose earlier, causing it to zoom to his side. “I hope this works on dungeon floor as well as it worked on that rat in class.” Scorpius muttered before tapping the rock three times. “ _Vera Verto._ ” He felt a spark of satisfaction shoot through him when the rock gave a slight wobble before transforming into a roughly hewn but functional stone goblet.

Scorpius could feel Albus watching him as he readied himself for the more difficult part of his mission. _They don’t teach this until sixth year._ Scorpius thought anxiously. _And I’ve only read about it in one of Dad’s old school books._ One look at Albus’ face solidified his resolve. _I can do this._ He pointed his wand at the goblet, hands more steady than they'd been since he had pulled himself out of the lake. “ _Aguamenti.”_ Scorpius nearly cried when a clear stream of water shot out of his wand and filled the cup to the brim. “I-it worked.” He could barely breathe as he scooped the goblet into his hand, half expecting the whole thing to vanish. Albus looked like he was about to cry at the sight of fresh water, so Scorpius didn’t hesitate to hold it out to him.

“You really are brilliant, you know that?” Albus said, his voice thick.

“Take it easy. You’ll get sick if you drink it too fast.” Scorpius cautioned as Albus grabbed the cup with shaking hands. “I can fill that as many times as you need. Just go slow.” Much to Scorpius’ surprise, Albus managed to slowly sip at the water, even though it was clear that he wanted nothing more than to drain the cup as quickly as he could. During this moment, Scorpius began taking stock of Albus’ mind-numbing amount of injuries all while filling up the goblet whenever Albus finished with it. 

The gash across his face from their first night was obviously untreated, the edges raw and red, but it had at least stopped bleeding. _That might scar._ Scorpius thought darkly. The cut across his cheek wasn’t terribly deep and looked to be clotting nicely. The skin around his right eye was beginning to purple from Yann and Karl’s visit. There appeared to be some blood caked along the left side of his face and neck, and when Scorpius gently brushed Albus’ dark hair aside he discovered a fair-sized bump. _Add possible concussion to the list._

The bruises around Albus’ throat were concerning. They were so dark against his pale skin and Scorpius was horrified to discover that he could make out individual finger marks in the mess. At this point Scorpius couldn’t tell if Albus’ wrecked voice was from screaming or this external damage, but he was willing to bet that it was a factor. 

Scorpius didn’t want to look at Albus’ right arm, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and gently tapped his hand, silently asking for permission. Albus looked up from what was probably his fifth or sixth cup of water, half-eaten sandwich in his lap. “Hmm?” 

“Can I see your arm?” Scorpius asked carefully. “I just - I just need to check.” Albus bit at his lip as his eyes flickered away from Scorpius’ face.

“It’s bad,” he whispered, tucking his injured arm closer to his body. “Really _really_ bad.” 

“I know.” Scorpius held out his hand. “It’s ok.” Albus stared at him for a moment before slowly offering him his injured arm. 

It was bad. Scorpius sucked in through his teeth at the sight of Albus’ mangled limb. The skin from wrist to elbow was ripped apart by a series of vicious slashes, each one deeper and more violent than the last. Albus looked resolutely in the opposite direction, breathing shallow and jaw clenched. What scared Scorpius even more than the fact that Albus’ arm was practically shredded was the very clear signs that infection had set in. _As if all this wasn’t enough already._ Angry tears stung Scorpius’ eyes as he hovered his hand over the wounds, wincing at the heat he felt.

Albus flinched and turned his head to stare at Scorpius with wide glassy eyes when he felt Scorpius’ hand near his arm. “Don’t.” He said as he pulled his arm back to his side. “Please.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry I wasn’t going to touch.” Scorpius reached over and laid a comforting hand on Albus' cheek before he ever realized he was doing it. Unfortunately, this led to another almost more terrifying discovery; the skin underneath his palm was burning hot to the touch. “Oh _Merlin_ , Albus…” Scorpius gasped, moving his hand to Albus’ forehead just to be sure. 

“What’re you doing?” Albus mumbled, leaning into Scorpius’ hand. 

“You’re rather warm.” Scorpius could feel panic bubbling in his chest. _This complicates things just a bit._

“No I’m not, ’m freezing.” Albus emphasized his point by burrowing further into Scorpius’ side. " _You're_ rather warm."

“O-ok then.” Scorpius picked his wand up and gave it a complicated little wave, focusing it on Albus tattered clothing. He felt Albus relax under the jet of warm air, leaning almost bonelessly against him. 

“That’s not good, is it.” Albus said after a brief silence. “You said I’m warm, but I feel so cold.” 

“Well, yes but - “

“Am I dying?” Albus asked quietly.

“Absolutely not!” Scorpius said as he twisted to face Albus head-on _,_ hysteria making his voice all squeaky _. I can’t even think that. Not for a second._

“I think I’m dying, Scorp,” Albus said in an impossibly small voice. “I don’t want to die.”

“You’re not,” Scorpius repeated more firmly. But Albus was truly panicking now. 

“You know Bellatrix Lestrange did this.” He gestured vaguely to his arm and throat. Scorpius’ stomach plummeted at the mention of that name. “She also did something to my head.” Little ragged noises were forcing their way out of Albus’ throat now. “They know who I am.” He looked wildly at Scorpius. “Oh god, they know who I am. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I couldn’t hold out. I wasn’t strong enough. I couldn’t -” 

Scorpius needed to get Albus to calm down. Needed at least one of them to be calm because Scorpius could feel the ever-present hysteria clawing its way further up his throat with every revelation of what Albus had been through. So he gently but firmly placed one hand on either side of Albus' face, being careful to avoid cuts and bruises, and leaned forward to press their foreheads together. "Breathe, Albus." Scorpius could feel Albus shivering as he reached up to weakly grasp at his wrists.

"I - I -" Albus stuttered, fingers twitching against Scorpius’ hands. 

“You need to breathe,” Scorpius repeated, reminding himself as well as Albus. “Albus Severus Potter. You are not allowed to die. Your family wants you home, and I can’t face Hogwarts without you.”

“I don’t know how much more I can take.” Albus whimpered, and _that_ cut through Scorpius like a knife. “Everything _hurts_ and they all hate me so much more than I ever thought possible. And I’m tired Scorp. So, so tired.”

“I know, Albus, I know.” Nothing could have prepared Scorpius for this. What prepares you to talk your friend down from a panic attack after being tortured by the darkest of witches and wizards? How can you talk about trauma of this magnitude when you're not even old enough to graduate?

_We're only fourteen for heaven's sake!_

"You will make it home, with me." Scorpius continued, gently brushing Albus' cheeks with his thumbs in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. "This whole place is absolutely horrible and I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through. But I do know that if anyone can survive this, it’s you.”

"I really don't feel good." 

"I know." Merlin, did Scorpius know. He could feel Albus' skin burning against his palms, could see his eyes glazed over with fever. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I'm going to get you out of here, I promise. I just need you to hold on."

“I’ll try.” Albus breathed, slumping against Scorpius’ shoulder with a shaky sigh. They sat in comfortable silence for a time, Albus’ light breath against Scorpius’ neck more comforting than he was willing to admit. It meant Albus was still alive. It meant that he wasn’t alone no matter how lonely he felt. It meant that he was going to do whatever it took to ensure that both of them made it home, because if there was one thing that this place was teaching him was that a world without Albus at his side was not a place that Scorpius wanted to exist in.

“So somehow, because of what we did Cedric became a Deatheater.” Scorpius broke the quiet with his remembered revelation. 

“What?” Albus looked at him in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I wish I were.” Scorpius muttered. “People here have been obnoxiously reluctant to tell me anything about how Voldemort came to power which is truly bizarre since you’d think they wouldn’t want to shut up about it.” 

“How...how did we…” Albus had sagged further down over the course of their conversation, his head practically in Scorpius’ lap. 

“Haven’t the foggiest.” Scorpius sighed. “Haven’t been able to get that far. I just know we need to somehow make that not happen.” 

“Hey Scorp,” Albus shifted uncomfortably. “Why’re you so lumpy?”

“I’m sorry?” Scorpius was caught off guard by Albus’ seemingly random question. Albus moved again, just barely able to bring a clumsy hand over to pat at Scorpius’ pocket.

“Lumpy.” Albus repeated, poking playfully at Scorpius’ side, which earned him a surprised squeak as Scorpius jumped. “Scorpius the Lumpy. Malfoy the Uneven.” 

“You stop that,” Scorpius said, struggling to hide a grin as he nudged Albus’ hand away from his extremely ticklish side and fumbled to extract the time turner, relieved that Albus’ brain wasn’t as addled as he had feared. “I don’t go anywhere without it, really.” He aimlessly traced his fingers along the engraved edges of the rough metal device. “Honestly, I’m afraid to let it out of my sight.” Scorpius didn’t miss the way Albus twisted to focus on the time turner, a feverish light burning in his eyes.

“Let’s go.” Albus struggled to push himself up, arms shaking so badly that he almost knocked the time turner out of Scorpius’ hand. “Right now, please Scorp please, we’ll figure it out we always do.” Seeing the desperation in Albus’ eyes had Scorpius ready to do just that, consequences be damned. But the cold reality was that they didn’t stand a chance at escaping let alone going back and putting things right given their current circumstances, and Scorpius knew that.

“We - we _can’t,_ ” Scorpius said miserably, hating the way Albus drew in on himself at his refusal. “Considering just how badly we mucked up the last two attempts, who knows what will happen if we’re not absolutely sure what we’re going back to change.” 

“Scorpius, _please._ ”

“If I thought we’d stand even the slightest of chances I would send us back in a heartbeat, you know I would.” He needed to have Albus understand. Needed him to know that he wanted to get him out of here more than anything. “But there’s the time limit, and we’re stuck in the castle, and who knows what sort of trouble we’d run into between here and wherever we decided to go. And we don’t even know what went wrong, so we wouldn’t know what to fix.” After a horrible moment in which Albus stared at him with such absolute sorrow that Scorpius almost took back everything he had said, Albus dropped back into his lap with a resigned sigh.

“You’re right, as usual,” he mumbled into Scorpius’ leg.

“Believe me, this time I take no pleasure in it,” Scorpius responded, letting his head drop back to hit the wall with a soft thud. “I’m going to get us home, Albus.” He shoved the time turner back into his pocket then adjusted so that he could cover Albus with as much of his robe as possible. It really was bloody freezing down here. “I promise I’ll figure something out.”

“I know you will,” Albus said with so much trust that Scorpius felt something in his chest clench.

_I don’t know if I deserve that much trust._ He looked at his terribly injured friend curled up in his lap. _I should’ve tried harder to figure out how to fix this._

“I’m scared.” Albus’ tiny voice hurt Scorpius’ heart.

“Me too.” 

"I want to go home."

"Me too."

“Scorpius?”

“Hmm?” Albus looked up at him, barely able to keep his eyes open. He looked small and scared, and so damn tired.

“Can you stay?” Scorpius felt a sad grin tug at the corner of his mouth as he draped a gentle arm across Albus’ shoulders.

“Of course.” Albus exhaled shakily and relaxed against Scorpius’ thigh. 

“Thanks,” he breathed as his eyes drifted shut, one hand curled tightly into Scorpius’ clothes. Having spent the last three years falling asleep in a bed across from him, Scorpius could tell the minute that Albus had dozed off. His breathing deepened, becoming slow and steady instead of short and panicked. He could feel the tension melt away, all of the fear and anxiety giving way to much-needed rest. It was a testament to how much Albus trusted him to fall asleep so quickly, and Scorpius didn’t take that trust lightly.

_I’m not letting anything touch you tonight._ He thought with firm resolve as he pulled his wand into his free hand. _No one is coming through that door._ Scorpius looked at his friend, fast asleep curled up in his lap, and knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to hex anyone who came near him tonight. 

And so Scorpius sat there against the wall as Albus slept, recasting his warming charm whenever it ran down and making sure Albus was as covered as possible. When he would start to twitch in his sleep, face scrunched up and hand tightening in his robes, Scorpius would reach down and gently run his fingers through his hair, whispering calming reassurances until Albus stilled and his face relaxed.

Eventually, though, Scorpius drifted off, unable to keep his exhaustion at bay for any longer. He didn’t know how long he dozed but he was startled awake by Albus, who had begun muttering in his sleep. “No, no… please stop.” Scorpius fought through the drowsiness, disoriented and ready to fight whoever was hurting his friend. But his curse died on his lips when he looked down to see Albus in the full throes of a truly dreadful nightmare. 

“Albus?” Scorpius shook him gently, desperate to wake him up without scaring him further. But Albus didn’t wake up. He cried out even louder, hands coming up to shield his face, and Scorpius shook him harder. “Albus, wake up. It’s me, it’s Scorpius. Please wake up.” Scorpius continued to say his name until Albus’ eyes shot open, wide and terrified. Scorpius leaned over so that he was sure Albus could see him, one hand resting gently on his uninjured shoulder.

“Scorpius?” he whimpered. Scorpius didn’t like that one bit.

“Yeah, it’s me.” 

_I can’t say it’s ok, because it isn’t._ Scorpius thought helplessly as Albus continued to stare up at him, breathing gradually slowing down to a less concerning rate. _How can I sit here comforting him, telling him that everything is going to be fine when it isn’t?_

“What can I do?” Scorpius settled for asking. Albus just shook his head and sighed.

“Just...stay until I fall back asleep?” Scorpius could tell that that wouldn’t be too long as Albus was already struggling to keep his eyes open.

“O-of course.”

“And be my good friend.” Scorpius felt his heart twist as he recognized his own words coming out of Albus’ mouth. He barely remembered that day on the train, everything had passed by in a blur. He had felt numb to the world. But the one thing he did remember was Albus’ constant support. He would’ve fallen to pieces that year if it hadn’t been for him. 

_Some good friend I’m being now._ He thought bitterly. He felt like the worst friend in the world; so lost and out of his depth. “Anything.” he breathed as Albus’ eyes drifted shut. He waited until his breathing had slowed before carefully extracting himself and slowly struggling to his feet, stiff muscles screaming in protest. 

_I don’t want to leave._ Scorpius watched Albus’ face twist in confusion as he felt along the floor for Scorpius before letting out a deep sigh and rolling over towards the wall, right arm tucked up against his chest and thankfully still fast asleep. Scorpius knew he had to go, but he couldn’t get his feet to agree. _If you want to help him, you need to go now._

With enormous effort, Scorpius set about erasing any trace that he had been here, repairing the damage to the floor and shoving the transfigured goblet and sandwich wrappings deep into his pockets, fingers brushing against the time turner as he did so. _I can’t wait to destroy this cursed thing when we finally get home._ He thought darkly, being sure to think _when_ they got back, not _if_. 

With one final glance back at Albus, he forced himself to unlock the door and leave, everything in him screaming to stay. _I’m coming back, I promise._ Then with a dreadful sigh, Scorpius locked the door behind him. “ _Nox,_ ” Scorpius whispered, finally extinguishing his wand with a sort of finality that didn’t sit well in his disheveled mind. _You’re coming back._ He reminded himself. _You’re going to see him again._

Despite the ache in his chest where his heart should have been, he turned and began trudging back up the corridor. His body felt so heavy like his limbs had turned to stone, and his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. He could barely focus on where he was going since his eyes kept drifting shut as the exhaustion sunk in. A sudden, grating “Hem hem” was the only warning he got before nearly running right into the person he wanted to see the least.

“I, um...Professor. I didn’t...um...” Scorpius forced out, his brain lagging behind and making his words clumsy. “Didn’t see you there.” he finished lamely. Scorpius stood there for a moment, struggling to collect his thoughts. He didn’t have the mental capacity for this right now.

“Headmistress, Mr. Malfoy.” Umbridge reprimanded sternly. “What are you doing in the dungeons at this hour? You look like you haven’t slept a wink.” She looked at him with mild concern, taking in his sunken eyes and overall haggard appearance.

“I - uh had some unfinished business…” Scorpius trailed off. His heart beat uncomfortably in his chest and his stomach was churning. He was too bloody tired to think of anything more convincing. “What time is it, by the way?”

“Nearly 6:30 in the morning, Scorpius.” Umbridge chided. “You really mustn’t let yourself get carried away like that.”

“Right, sorry. Unfinished business.” Scorpius mumbled, reaching up to rub at the horrible crick in his neck.

“Well, you know you are always more than welcome to put these useless creatures in their place, but be sure to keep that one you found by the lake in mostly one piece. The Augurey insists.” Dazedly, Scorpius stared at Umbridge until her words made sense. At least most of them.

_Who or what is this Augurey she keeps mentioning?_

“Right well, I should be off, professor… Headmistress.” Scorpius corrected himself sluggishly. “Got to um...shower. Before classes. Right.” He took a few steps back, needing to put some distance between Umbridge and himself. His skin was crawling, and there was a very good chance that he could end up puking on her ridiculously frilly pink shoes if he stood there much longer. 

“Take care, Mr. Malfoy.” Umbridge looked him over once more before passing him by to continue down the corridor, heels tapping smartly against the stones. The noise was like a spike being driven into Scorpius’ head and he didn’t hesitate to turn to climb the stairs to escape it. He belatedly realized that the dementor wasn’t there when he finally reached the ground floor, the dim morning sunlight making him squint. It was only then that his foggy brain presented him with an awful question.

_What… what is she doing down there? At this hour?_ He stood there for a moment, staring off into nothingness, waiting for his thoughts to catch up and make sense. _It’s...she said it’s 6:30. In the morning...what…_ The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and Scorpius had to throw a hand out to steady himself on the wall just to keep from collapsing. _No...she wouldn’t be…_ A fresh wave of adrenaline shot through him and he whipped his head around to stare at the darkened staircase in horror.

_No no no no nonono…_ Almost as if in response to his panic, a strangled cry drifted up from the darkness. Scorpius felt the blood drain from his face as the reality of what was currently happening washed over him like a wave of ice. _You can’t help him now, Scorpius._ But he needed to do something or he was going to go to pieces right here on this landing.

  
 _6:30. 6:30 in the morning. No one should be in the library at this hour._ Scorpius shook his head violently from side to side, forcing himself to focus. _This is my chance._ And with that small grain of hope, Scorpius set off for the library. And this time, no one was getting in his way.


	6. Chapter 6

As Scorpius made his way to the library, he was struck with a realization. _The castle almost seems normal at this hour._ He glanced around at the empty corridor, the early morning sunlight that peeked in through the high windows splashing in golden puddles on the floor. He could almost hear Albus grumbling along behind him, bemoaning early classes and cursing whoever had invented them. Scorpius felt his tired face crack into a small smile at the memory.

But there was no time for sentiment. Scorpius shook his head firmly and quickened his pace. He was so close. So damn close. By the time he reached the library doors, his hands were shaking with anticipation. _Time to get some answers._ Without another moment’s hesitation, Scorpius nudged the door open and slipped inside.

At long last, he had arrived at the library. Scorpius breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped in amongst the towering shelves loaded with books, their musty smell enveloping him like a comforting hug.

This was still Hogwarts. Scorpius felt his throat grow tight and he struggled to hold back tears as he looked around at all the stacks and stacks of books, little motes of dust dancing in sunbeams like stars. _Even though it’s been taken over by so much darkness, Hogwarts is still here. I can do this._ Scorpius made a beeline for the History section, determined to solve this mystery once and for all.

“How did Cedric become a Death Eater?” He mumbled to himself, fingers trailing along the book spines as he tried to quickly read their titles through bleary eyes. “What have I missed?” His fingers instinctively landed on a worn copy of _A History of Magic_ and he slid the book from the shelf, the familiar leather binding comforting in his grip. “Alright, you. Tell me your secrets. What have I missed?” 

“Why are you here?”

The sudden voice startled Scorpius so badly that he almost toppled into the nearest shelf, the copy of _A History of Magic_ clutched against his chest like a shield. He looked up wildly only to meet the eyes of an equally disheveled Craig Bowker. Craig looked like he hadn’t slept in days, dark smudges under his frantic eyes and robes a rumpled mess. He was balancing an enormous stack of books and staring at Scorpius in horrified shock.

“Why can’t I be here?” Scorpius asked hesitantly, his voice jumping several octaves. _Why is Craig acting afraid of me?_

“It’s not ready yet." Craig babbled, gesturing to the mountain of books in his arms. "I’m working as fast as I can. But Professor Snape sets so much of it, and writing the essay in two different ways. I mean, I’m not complaining… Sorry.” he finished lamely.

“Start from the beginning." Scorpius rubbed at his temple with his free hand, aching head not able to keep up with Craig's hasty rambling. "What’s not ready?”

“Your potions homework." Craig shifted uncomfortably. "And I’m happy to do it, grateful even, and I know you hate homework and books and I never let you down, you know that.”

“I...hate...homework?” 

Craig looked at Scorpius like he had grown a second head. “You’re the Scorpion King. Of course, you hate homework."

_Of course_ . Scorpius remembered with a wince. _The Scorpion King doesn't even go to class. Of course, the world's biggest prat can't be bothered to do his own homework._ Suddenly Craig's eyes widened in alarm when they landed on the book in Scorpius' arms.

"What are you doing with _A History of Magic_? I could do that assignment too.” He reached out to snatch the book from Scorpius' grip. Instinctively, he twisted away, protecting the book from Craig's grasp. But the confused look Craig gave him was enough to remind him that this is not how the Scorpion King would act. So with enormous effort, Scorpius held out the book to Craig, fighting back the urge to keep his grip on the closest thing he'd had to some answers.

Just as he was about to relinquish his hold on the book, Craig's words shattered through his mental fog and with a sudden jolt of clarity he jerked an incredibly startled Craig back towards him.

“Did you say, Snape?”

Craig stared at him in bewilderment, silently still trying to pull the book out of Scorpius’ iron grip. When he finally succeeded in prying the book away, he rushed off deeper into the library, shooting one last baffled look over his shoulder as he went. Scorpius didn’t notice. His mind was whirling a mile a minute, trying to process the new information Craig had unknowingly provided him with.

Of course. Severus Snape is still alive. He was an ally of Dumbledore. He could still be undercover even now. Severus Snape could be the answer that he had been looking for. 

_He also could have sided with the winning team._ A nasty voice whispered. _And you’re about to give away everything._ Scorpius muscled the whisper out of his mind as he stared at his shaking hands. He didn’t have time for doubt right now. Right now, his best hope for survival was Professor Snape.

_________________________________________________

  
  


Scorpius rushed out of the library with his new destination in mind, a wave of fresh energy fueling his steps. 

_Progress. This is progress_ . _This is good._

The hallways were really beginning to fill now, students making their way to breakfast or rushing past to get to early classes. Scorpius was trying his hardest to blend in with the traffic, keeping his head bowed and staring intently at his feet as he dodged and weaved through the crowd. 

_So help the person who tries to talk to me right now._ Scorpius thought grimly as he ignored someone who sounded suspiciously like Polly Chapman calling out his name. He had nearly made it to the dungeon staircase without incident when a harsh voice cut through the noise and stopped Scorpius dead in his tracks despite his resolution to not stop for anyone. 

“Mr. Malfoy,” Alecto Carrow was standing behind him, her lumpy face bored and impassive. “You have been summoned to the Ministry of Magic for a meeting with the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. You are to go at once to Headmistress Umbridge’s office for further instructions.” Scorpius stared at her for a moment, not quite believing what he was hearing.

“P-pardon?” He stammered. Scorpius flinched when Alecto let out a wheezy giggle, her face cracking into an awful grin.

“I can see my brother was correct when he told me that the Malfoy boy had cracked.” She looked positively delighted at this revelation, and Scorpius didn’t like the implications behind that one bit. “You have been summoned to the Ministry.” She said in an exaggerated, slow voice. “For a meeting. With the Head of Magical Law Enforcement.” Her grin suddenly dropped. “Go to the Headmistress’ office at once and stop playing these foolish games. They’re going to get you into trouble.”

“Y-yes, professor.” Scorpius gulped. “My apologies.” Before Alecto could say another word, Scorpius let out a shaky breath and changed his course. It was just one thing after another wasn’t it. He could feel his feet dragging in protest as he made his way towards Umbridge’s office, the complete opposite direction of where he wanted to be going. It felt like literally everything in this world was fighting to keep him here, and Scorpius wasn’t having it. 

_What on earth have I done to warrant the attention of the Head of Magical Law Enforcement?_ Scorpius worried as he passed through the corridors, side-stepping a pair of bleary eyed students on their way to the Great Hall. _Have I been too obvious? Did I finally crack?_ Dread boiled up in his chest and continued to bubble until he was sure it was going to erupt. _I’m so tired of feeling like this_ . Scorpius thought helplessly as he once again found it a struggle to even breathe. _I just want to go home… I want Dad… I -_ Scorpius stumbled to a halt in the middle of the corridor.

_Wait, Dad is the Head of Magical Law Enforcement in this timeline._ Scorpius remembered with a start. _Why would he want to see me right now?_ The thought of his father here, in this world and apparently wanting to see him, was all at once too much to handle. Having Dad here to help him was almost too good to be true, and there was certainly going to be some sort of catch, but Scorpius couldn’t get his exhausted mind to stop its desperate pleas for his Dad. 

In fact, Scorpius hadn’t even realized that his feet had started moving again until he found himself face to face with the horrible gargoyle that guarded the Headmistress’ office. “Oh. Erm, right. Maine Coon.” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the absurd password. Scorpius trudged up the stairs, uneager to speak to Umbridge again today after having seen her so recently. 

_I don’t know how I’m going to be able to look at her horrid face knowing what she’s done to Albus._ Scorpius panicked as he made his way up the steps, pausing in front of the ornately carved door. _Knock on the door, Scorpius._ He tried to convince himself, hand hovering just in front of the heavy wood. _Just knock on the door. Get it over with._ Finally, and with colossal effort, Scorpius forced himself to follow through and rap tentatively at the door, the sound echoing painfully in the stone stairwell. 

But just as he made contact, the door swung open, leaving him standing awkwardly with his hand in the air. “Oh, erm, sorry Headmistress,” Scorpius mumbled as he stepped into the office, gaze fixed firmly on his shoes. “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting.” When he didn’t receive an answer, Scorpius braved a quick glance up.

_Oh Merlin, she’s probably furious._

As it turned out, he had looked up not a minute too soon because there was an obscenely pink paper airplane hovering just inches from his face, threatening to poke him right in the eye. Startled, Scorpius sputtered and took a stumbling step backward, resisting the urge to swat the thing out of the air. “Brilliant,” he muttered as he plucked the thing from the air and hastily unfolded it, Umbridge’s frilly handwriting awaiting him.

Scorpius, 

Your father wishes to speak with you immediately. The floo powder is on the mantle in the small ornamental box with the grey cat on it. Do say hello to your father for me.

Dolores Umbridge

Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

“Double brilliant.” Scorpius quickly scanned the room, finding the aforementioned box quite easily among the various gaudy little decorations littering the doily-covered mantle. Against his better judgment, he took a step towards Umbridge’s desk. 

_When are you ever going to be here alone again?_ Scorpius took in the assorted papers that were neatly stacked on the desk, a pale pink envelope standing out to him the most. Even his sleep-deprived brain knew better than to touch anything he wasn't supposed to, so he turned his head until he could just make out the writing on the envelope. It was addressed to The Augurey and marked as urgent, the bright red ink burning like a beacon.

A pit of unease settled in Scorpius’ stomach at the most recent mention of this Augurey. Something about it sat wrong with him, and it was maddening to not know why. Finding no use puzzling over something too far out of his understanding, Scorpius backed away from the desk and went over to the mantle, filing The Augurey away to be dealt with later. With one last look around the room, Scorpius grabbed a little pinch of floo powder and stepped up to the edge of the dying fire. He took a deep breath and tossed the powder into the embers, which immediately roared to life and turned a vivid emerald green. 

Scorpius froze at the sight of the intense green light, mind yanking him back to snapping bones and Albus’ screams and the whooshing sound of death sweeping through the classroom and - 

_No_. Scorpius grit his teeth in determination and stepped into the flames, the fire licking at his legs like a warm breeze.

“Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic.”

Scorpius found that there was no graceful way to arrive via floo, at least he hadn’t discovered one yet. He slid out of the fireplace and onto the polished marble floor, landing in a disgruntled heap and leaving a rather impressive trail of soot behind him. He scrambled to his feet and brushed the remaining dust off of his robes, glancing around casually to see if anyone had noticed his rather awkward arrival. 

He had tumbled out into a smaller room than he anticipated, the walls and floors made of highly polished black marble. There were a few sconces lining the walls, the eerie pale blue lights reflecting off of the shiny surfaces. Scorpius took notice of an elaborately carved wooden desk sitting just to his left about a second before he noticed the severe-looking witch that was seated behind it, seemingly unphased by his abrupt arrival. 

There was a high arched door directly behind the desk, and Scorpius inched towards it, never taking his eyes off of the witch who had yet to look up at him. As he drew closer, he was able to make out a nondescript brass plaque on the door that read ‘Head of Magical Law Enforcement’. “Erm, pardon me.” Scorpius cleared his throat. “I was just wondering -”

“Best not to keep him waiting, Mr. Malfoy, you know that.” The witch spoke up, her paperwork still more interesting than him. She gestured to the door behind her with a vague little wave of her hand. 

“Right. Thanks.” Scorpius mumbled as he felt his cheeks heating up with embarrassment. _Probably should have known that._ He slipped past the desk and reached out to knock on the door.

“Just go in.” The witch interrupted him. “He’s expecting you.”

“Right.” Scorpius breathed, letting his hand drop to his side. With a deep breath, he gently pushed the door open, not knowing what to expect to see on the other side.

“You’re late,” His father drawled, voice echoing severely in the sparsely furnished room. He didn’t even bother to look up from his paperwork as Scorpius stepped tentatively into the office. Every nerve was on edge as Scorpius stood in the doorway, taking in his father’s appearance. He looked startlingly like the portrait of his grandfather that had hung in the upstairs hallway, his long hair loose around his shoulders and severe black robes sharply pressed. 

“This...this is your office?” Scorpius glanced around, noting the two banners emblazoned with a mournful looking blackbird that hung on either side of the desk. 

“You’re late and unapologetic; maybe you are determined to compound the problem.” His father continued, finally looking up to fix Scorpius with a harsh stare. Scorpius just stood there, unable to process the waves of hostility rolling off of his father. 

_What - what’s happening? What is he talking about?_

“I’m not sure I understand?” Scorpius said meekly.

“How dare you! How dare you embarrass me and keep me waiting and then not apologize for it!” Draco roared and Scorpius flinched back, eyes wide. Never once in his fourteen years had his father yelled at him like that, and it was horrible.

“Sorry,” Scorpius said in a small voice as he lowered his eyes to the floor, unable to look at his Dad one minute longer. The outright fury was making him sick to his stomach.

“ _Sir.”_

“Sorry, _sir_ ,” Scorpius whispered, throat tightening uncomfortably. _How foolish was I to think that Dad would be untouched by this hell?_

“I did not bring you up to be sloppy, Scorpius.” His Dad continued, seemingly uncaring of Scorpius’ fear. “I did not bring you up to humiliate me at Hogwarts.”

“Humiliate you? Sir?” Scorpius asked faintly, hastily adding on the ‘sir’ when he saw his Dad tilt his head to the side, eyes narrowing. 

“Withholding valuable information about a traitor from Headmistress Umbridge and then asking questions about Harry Potter. Harry Potter of all the embarrassing things! How dare you disgrace the Malfoy name.” Draco’s voice was outraged and Scorpius was about ready to collapse, terrified and exhausted and unable to process what he had done to deserve this. 

“Oh no.” Scorpius breathed, a horrible thought taking root in his mind.

_Dad is the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. All these dreadful rules and regulations… He would have had a hand in creating them._ Scorpius suppressed a shudder as he stared at his Dad with wide eyes. 

“Are - are you responsible?” He felt faint.

_He is. The torture… the murdering… the Blood Registration…_

“No. No. You can’t be…” This wasn’t happening.

“Scorpius…” His Dad said, a dangerous edge to his voice. Scorpius, uncaring, pressed on. 

_My_ _Dad is a murderer. A MURDERER._

“The _Daily Prophet_ today, three wizards blowing up bridges to see how many Muggles they can kill with one blast...is that you?” He could feel his cheeks heating up with betrayal, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes and voice rising with each word that tumbled out of his mouth.

“Be very careful.”

“The Mudblood death camps, the torture, the burning alive of those that oppose him. How much of that is you?” Scorpius approached the desk, needing to understand what went wrong, needing to look into his father’s eyes when he confessed. “Mum always told me you were a better man than I could see, but this is what you really are, isn’t it? A murderer, a torturer - ” 

Scorpius hadn’t realized just how close he had gotten until it was too late. His father was on him before he could blink. As quick as a snake, he lunged across the desk, grabbed Scorpius by the back of the neck and slammed his head into the table. Stunned by the sudden violence, Scorpius didn’t even register the pain as his father held him there, could hardly even struggle as Draco leaned over him, a terror, unlike anything he had ever felt holding him in place more firmly than his father's unrelenting grip. His fingers scratched uselessly against the table and he squeezed his eyes shut in horrible fright.

“Do not use her name in vain, Scorpius.” His father’s voice was so loud, so _loud_. “Do not score points that way.” 

And then there was silence. Dreadful silence. All Scorpius could hear was his frantic heartbeat thudding wildly in his ears. 

Dad wasn’t letting go. He wasn’t saying anything and he wasn’t _letting go_.

How long had it been? Minutes? Hours? Days? 

What did he _want?_

A desperate whine slipped out of his throat, small and shaky and pathetic and Scorpius found he didn’t care. He felt small and shaky and pathetic. And scared. So bloody scared. He felt his father lean in closer before he broke the horrible silence. “She deserves better.” 

He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, could barely hold back tears as Draco hauled him up and flung him away from the desk. Scorpius stumbled backwards, bringing one hand up to touch his throbbing cheek, breathy whimpers forcing their way out of his closed up throat as he folded in on himself and turned away from the desk so his Dad couldn’t see his tears. 

_Your Dad just hurt you._ His mind screamed. _I don’t understand… I want my real Dad. Not whatever this is. I want to go home._

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air as Scorpius continued to cower, too afraid to run and too afraid to look up to see what his Dad could possibly be doing. Had he gone back to his paperwork like nothing had happened? Was he preparing to do something even worse?

“And no.” Draco broke the silence, his voice suddenly sounding very tired. Scorpius hesitantly looked up. “Those idiots blasting Muggles, that’s not my doing, though it’ll be me the Augurey asks to bribe the Muggle Prime Minister with gold . . .” 

_So the Augurey has something to do with the Ministry._ Scorpius thought faintly as he gave the banners next to his father's desk another look. _Those birds are definitely auguries._ _What does it mean?_ His gaze drifted back to his father and was surprised at what he saw.

His father looked drained, face lined with barely masked exhaustion. “Did your mother really say that of me?”

“She said that Grandfather didn’t like her very much…” Scorpius’ voice shook as he reached up to wipe at his eyes. “Opposed the match… thought she was too Muggle-loving, too weak, but that you defied him for her. She said it was the bravest thing she’d ever seen.” Scorpius spoke quietly, his chest aching.

“She made being brave very easy, your mother.” And there, Scorpius could see his Dad, the Dad he knew peeking out from under this shell of harshness. 

“But that was another you.” Scorpius looked at his Dad desperately, longing for him to drop this act, to tell him it was all some sick joke and take him home. Draco stared back with a frown. “I’ve done bad things, you’ve done worse.” Scorpius shook his head to rid it of the screams, and cries, and flashes of green light. “What have we become, Dad?”  
  


“We haven’t become anything; we simply are as we are.” His Dad snapped, almost like this was a reminder to himself as much as it was to Scorpius.

“The Malfoys. The family you can always rely on to make the world a murkier place.” Scorpius said with a scornful laugh. He immediately regretted his lapse of judgment as his father came around the desk towards him. Scorpius recoiled with a gasp, hands instinctively coming up to shield his face. 

_I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry please don’t -_

“This business at the school, what’s inspired it?” Draco asked suddenly.

“I don’t want to be who I am.” He answered as delicately as he could, cautiously lowering his hands and regarding his father tentatively.

“And what’s brought that on?”  
  


“I’ve seen myself in a different way… Dad - sir - I…” Scorpius braved a step closer to his father, desperately wanting to tell him everything but ultimately holding back, unable to risk giving up his cover and Albus’ precarious position. 

  
“You know what I loved most about your mother?” Scorpius silently shook his head, caught off guard by the way his Dad’s voice cracked. “She could always help me find light in the darkness. She made the world less, what was the word you used?” His father stared at him with an unreadable expression. “Murky.”

“Did she?” Scorpius felt an immeasurable sadness bloom in his chest hearing his father talk so openly about his mother. Merlin, did he miss her.

_What I wouldn’t give to have her here right now._ Scorpius thought sadly. It seemed that even in a timeline built for his success, she was still gone.

“There’s more of her in there than I thought.” Draco studied him a moment longer. It almost looked like he wanted to say more, do more, and Scorpius couldn’t help but reach out to him. But just as he did, his Dad turned on his heel and swept back to his desk. “Whatever you’re doing, do it safely.” Scorpius let his hand fall limply to his side, the moment broken as he watched his Dad pick up a heavy file off of his desk and begin to leaf through it. “I can’t lose you too.”

Scorpius knew that there were so many ways to tell someone you loved them. 

For example, making sure they get some of their favorite breakfast when they sleep in, or picking up a nice copy of their favorite book at the bookstore, or saving them the last Pepper Imp even though they’re your favorite. Comforting them after a particularly bad nightmare, or leaving silly little notes in the margins of your textbooks, or making sure your stock of sweets never runs low. Keeping their favorite tea in the cabinets always and bringing them a cup when things just aren’t right, and humoring them with one last game of chess even though it’s late. 

So Scorpius knew right away that this was his Dad’s way of saying he loved him, and that was enough. He straightened up and took a steadying breath. “Yes. Sir.” 

_This world may have hardened you, Dad._ Scorpius thought. _But I can still see you in there under those stiff robes and ministry title. You’re surviving, and so am I._

It was then that something on his father’s desk caught his attention, and Scorpius held back a gasp when he realized what he was looking at. Peeking out from under a neat stack of papers was a wand that was so achingly familiar, Scorpius felt his heart leap into his throat. There was no mistaking the knots littering the wood, little cherry buds scattered across its handle well-worn from anxious worrying. “Excuse me, sir.” Scorpius could barely speak. “That wand.” He gestured to his father’s desk.

“Oh this?” Draco, seemingly caught off guard by Scorpius’ abrupt change of subject, pulled the wand out from the paper stack and held it out in his palm. Scorpius’ pulse raced as he stared at what was undeniably Albus’ wand, breathless. “Your Headmistress sent this over days ago. Said she wanted to trace it to its rightful owner.” At this he fixed Scorpius with an unreadable expression. “The only problem is that there’s not a record of this wand ever being sold.” Scorpius could hardly breath as his father carelessly twisted Albus’ wand between his fingers.

“May I have it?” Scorpius felt the words slip out before he could stop them, and he stared at his Dad in trepidation, unsure of what his response was going to be. 

“And what would you do with it, Scorpius?” Draco asked.

“Return it to its rightful owner.” Scorpius fixed his Dad with a determined look, begging him to trust that he would be careful. The sight of Albus’ wand so very close to him was almost too much to take. After a long silence in which Scorpius was sure he was going to burst, his father let out a deep sigh before extending the wand to him. 

“Be safe, Scorpius,” Draco repeated as Scorpius carefully took Albus’ wand from his father’s loose grip, heart leaping at the sudden burst of warmth that spread from his fingertips and up into his chest.

_It’s good to see you too._

“Yes, sir.” Scorpius tucked the wand into his pocket and straightened up.

“For Voldemort and Valor.” Draco saluted him sharply, holding his gaze.

“For Voldemort and Valor.” Scorpius echoed, performing the salute back to his father perfectly as he backed out of the room. He barely kept it together as he closed the door behind him, thoughts racing. Ignoring the witch’s analytical stare as he passed, he made his way over towards the fireplace without tripping over his own feet. Luckily the ministry stored their floo powder in a small dish on the mantle so he didn’t have to ask for any help in getting back to Hogwarts. 

Scorpius grabbed a handful of powder and tossed it into the flames, suppressing a shudder at the sudden burst of green. _Was that ever going to stop?_ Scorpius wondered as he stepped into the flames. _Because Slytherin is a rather greenhouse and I can foresee this causing some problems._ He shook his head firmly. Time to worry about that later. 

“Headmistress Umbridge’s office, Hogwarts.” He spoke clearly, being careful not to inhale a mouthful of ash. No telling what sort of problem could arise from that. After another disorienting trip through the network of fireplaces, and another spectacularly dreadful landing in which he ground a large amount of ash into Umbridge’s tacky carpet, Scorpius once again found himself back in the corridors of Hogwarts.

Luckily, Umbridge hadn’t been in her office when he arrived, so he didn’t have to deal with that confrontation. Considering he hadn’t been up for it before the intense conversation with Dad, he certainly wasn’t up for it now. In fact, right now the only conversation Scorpius wanted to have was with Professor Snape. 

As he took a few steps down the corridor back towards the dungeons, Scorpius stumbled as suddenly his entire world twisted and he needed to catch himself against the wall to keep from crumpling to the floor. In a daze, he tried to focus but his eyes refused, burning and fuzzy at the edges.

_Potions class, dungeons, right._ Scorpius thought slowly, his mind all of a sudden heavy with fatigue. The meeting with Dad had really taken a toll on him, and he was now finding it difficult to even stand. _I don’t have time for this._ Scorpius desperately shook his head, trying to clear it of the ever-thickening fog. But it was useless. He was well and truly exhausted. 

Scorpius found himself clutching Albus’ wand, rubbing his fingers along the knots absentmindedly as he stood in the middle of the empty corridor. His eyes stung as he stared listlessly ahead, unable to focus clearly on anything in particular. _I need to see Snape._ He argued with his failing mind. 

_But you’ve barely slept at all in almost 2 days now._ Another voice in his head spoke up, this one sounding so much like Albus that it hurt. _You need to take care of yourself, Scorpius._ He let out a groan of frustration, knowing that the voice was right but not wanting to admit it. _Take a nap._ The voice insisted. _Snape will be there when you wake up._

“Fine.” Scorpius snapped, his sudden outburst causing a nearby painting to jump in alarm. _I suppose Snape will be teaching anyway, and I very well can’t just waltz in and say I need help. So sleep it is._

Scorpius pushed off of the wall with a huff and made his way back to the Slytherin common room, which thanks to the time of day, was deserted. He just managed to stumble into his room and close the door firmly behind him before another wave of exhaustion nearly made him sick. Scorpius extracted both his and Albus’ wands from his pocket and placed them on the bedside table with trembling hands before pulling out the time turner, which he shoved under his pillow. 

Scorpius barely had enough energy remaining to kick his shoes off before he collapsed face-first into his pillow.

Unfortunately, while Scorpius’ body might have been exhausted, his mind refused to stop its frantic reeling and the intrusive thoughts spun through his head with no sign of stopping. So it was a rather big surprise when Scorpius shook the fog from his eyes and found himself sitting in the library, warm golden light shining in through the high windows and illuminating the well worn copy of _The Hobbit_ on the table in front of him.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, sleepyhead." Scorpius started as he realized he wasn't alone. Sitting across from him, healthy, whole and with a cheeky grin splitting his face, was Albus. 

"I - I -" Scorpius stammered, his mouth gaping uselessly. _What was… what?_ Albus just laughed, bright green eyes shining with delight, unmarred by blood and fear and exhaustion.

"Kneazle got your tongue, Scorp?" Albus leaned across the table towards him. "Or are you left speechless by my devilishly good looks?" Scorpius couldn't help but chuckle at Albus' ridiculous bantering, tension unraveling from his shoulders almost immediately. He had missed this, sitting in the library with Albus and reading, or working on their Charms homework, or hiding from bullies. Honestly, he just missed the carefree smile on Albus’ face; the likes of which he hadn’t seen in quite some time.

"No,” Scorpius smiled back as he looked down to bookmark his page. "It’s just that I didn’t expect to see you here, that’s all." He looked up to ask Albus what he was reading when the feeling in the room changed. The smile slid from Scorpius’ face when he glanced over only to find that Albus had vanished. All that remained in his chair was a familiar cherry wand, snapped in half, and a smear of red. Instantly the air grew cold around him and the sunlight snuffed out like a candle, plunging him into a room filled with gloomy shadows and eerie silence. “Albus?” Scorpius tried to call, but no sound came out of his mouth. Heart pounding wildly, he staggered to his feet, chair falling behind him with a noiseless clatter.

_No no no no please no….._

He continued to stare wildly around the library, every nerve on high alert. The shadows appeared to be moving, growing, crawling slowly towards him, but his gaze kept drifting back to the rusty spatter along the floor. The feeling of being watched came over him all of a sudden, the hair on the back of his neck prickling uncomfortably. Scorpius was too scared to move, to turn around and see what was behind him. He didn’t dare look because something was whispering, the sound breaking through the deafening silence like shattered glass. More muted voices began to join the first, their indistinguishable chatter building and growing until Scorpius had to reach up to cover his ears to block out the din. 

_No no no stop please stop_

“Albus!” He tried again, but still, no sound came out. His voice was completely muted like someone had cast _Silencio_ on him. “Dad! DAD!” Scorpius could feel panicked tears begin to roll down his cheeks as his cries remained utterly silent. “Mum...Dad? Albus! Anyone…” The silence was crushing him; he couldn’t even hear his frantic heart beating in his ears. Scorpius screamed so hard that he felt something in his throat tear, only to be met with overwhelming nothingness. Then, a sudden, horrible, agonized cry ripped through the whispers, blowing them away instantly and Scorpius felt the blood drain from his face.

_ALBUS_

Scorpius sprang to life, muteness forgotten as he sprinted for the door faster than he thought possible. Albus was in terrible danger and he needed to get to him. He flinched as he felt something reach out and grab at his robes, hearing the fabric tear as he wrenched away. There was no time to look back, no time to hesitate. Scorpius flung the door open only to be greeted by an inky black void. He paused for just a moment before barreling into the darkness, the gloom closing around him in an instant. Suddenly, he was careening forward at an unfathomable speed, like he was being yanked through space and time itself. Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut, the awful vertigo making his head spin and stomach lurch. It felt just like using the time-turner, and that thought made him sick to his core. 

All at once the world closed around him, and he no longer felt like he was floating away into nothingness. Now he was drowning, his lungs inexplicably filling with icy water. A panicked cry squeezed its way out of his burning lungs, little bubbles floating in the water that was now all around him. Scorpius floundered, eyes stinging as he looked every which way in an attempt to find the surface. His chest tightened when he found nothing, no light, no inkling of which way was up. Not even the bubbles around him gave a hint as to which way he should go. They just drifted around him lazily, neither floating or sinking. 

_I can’t breathe, oh Merlin, I can’t breathe._

His limbs grew heavy as the lack of oxygen took its toll, his vision slowly beginning to fade to black.

_I don’t want to die like this._

Just when he felt like his chest was going to explode and he would be forced to take in a breath of water, Scorpius slammed into the ground, dirt and grass filling his mouth as he coughed and choked, water pouring out of his searing lungs. At first, all he could do was lay there, great shuddering breaths shaking his drenched frame. The air around him was damp and cold, a faint wind whistling around him. Scorpius couldn’t be bothered with his bizarre change of scene. He was too busy breathing and shaking and praying for this to end.

_“Scorpius…”_ a ghostly voice whispered. Scorpius bolted upright, wide eyes staring everywhere as water dripped down into his face.

“H-hello?” He coughed, throat raw and scratchy. Scorpius pushed himself to his feet with shaking arms, taking in his new surroundings with growing nausea. It was still so dark, the oppressive shadows making him feel incredibly claustrophobic. But he was beginning to be able to make out shapes in the gloom, strange hill-like mounds jutting out of the ground all around him.

_"Why did you kill me?”_ Came the voice, this time from his immediate left. A chill went down his spine and he froze.

“Excuse me?” Scorpius could hardly bear to look but he did anyway, turning slowly to where he had heard the ghostly voice last. “I - I don’t know what you’re…” He trailed off as he took in the polished white marble hardly ten feet away from him that definitely hadn't been there before.

_No…_

Headstones, Scorpius realized. He was surrounded by dozens and dozens of headstones. And the one in front of him now…

“Please no…” Scorpius whimpered as he fell to his knees at the foot of his mother’s grave. “I - I didn’t… Mum I -” 

_“Why did you let me die?”_ The voice was louder this time, a horrible wailing moan that shook him to his core.

“I’m sorry.” He breathed, unable to look away from the smooth marble. “Mum, I’m so sorry.”

_“You killed me.”_ There was something forming in the center of the headstone, Scorpius realized with a numb terror. A ghastly face was beginning to take shape within the smooth marble and Scorpius let out a terrified whine as he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to move an inch. Even sunken in and twisted up in a dreadful moan, there was no mistaking the corpse-like face of Astoria Malfoy.

“No no no no no…” Something was touching his cheek now, something light and feathery and cold and he couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t - 

“Scorpius!” His eyes sprung open instinctively, immediately locking on to the figure in front of him.

“Dad?” His father was standing before him, one hand outstretched and a look of mild concern on his face. “D-dad, I -” Scorpius reached out, needing to touch, needing to hide, needing to _run_. “Dad I don’t know what’s happening.” His father took his hand, helping him to his feet before looking him over.

“What are you doing out here?” He asked, brushing some dirt from his cheek, and Scorpius nearly sobbed with relief. Dad was here. Dad was going to fix all of this.

“Dad I need your help please." Scorpius looked around wildly, positive that the horrible ghoul masquerading as his mother was going to come back at any moment. All the graves had disappeared, but he was still panicked. "I’m so scared, Dad, and I…” The words died in his throat as his father’s face began to bubble and shift; white-blonde hair shooting back into his skull, eyes igniting with a red fiery rage, nose shrinking until it was flat and slitted, and face hollowing out until Scorpius was standing face to face with Voldemort himself.

“I see you, boy.” He whispered as Scorpius stumbled backward, too beside himself to even cry anymore. “I see your fear.” And then Voldemort was changing, morphing into a giant snake whose body had to be at least as thick as Scorpius’ waist. 

“You are weeeaaak.” It hissed as it coiled around him. “You will never be able to protect thossssse you care about.” A desperate scream split the air and Scorpius fell to his knees, shaking so badly that his teeth were chattering.

“Please.” He gasped. “P-please.” There was a flash of green light, and the snapping of bones, the screaming of a little girl and the horrible whimpers of his best friend. And then Scorpius was kneeling in the corridor outside of the Slytherin dorms, the faint hissing of a snake fading from the air around him. He couldn't move, the overwhelming fear absolutely paralyzing.

_What was that…? What's happening?_

Scorpius threaded his fingers through his sweat-soaked hair and tucked his head into his chest, shoulders shaking with involuntary shudders. The cold stone under his knees was solid, the rough surface biting into his skin, but Scorpius found that he didn't care. The pain was real, the stone was real, and he needed to just exist here for as long as he could. He could hear his breathing rattling in his chest, his heart beating in his ears and the faint chatter of students somewhere in the distance.

_Is it… is it over?_ Scorpius thought with an exhausted sigh. _I don’t know how much more of this I can take._ Almost as if it were an answer to his pleas, a desperate, broken cry cut through the air and Scorpius gasped.

_Albus… ALBUS!_

His friend’s screams still lingering in the air, Scorpius leapt to his feet and bolted towards the dungeons, ignoring the way his body screamed in protest.

_I can’t leave him there anymore, I can’t. This has gone on long enough._

He didn’t know when he had drawn his wand, but as he rounded the corner to come face to face with a towering dementor, he found himself leveling it directly where he supposed the thing’s face was. He didn’t have time to be scared.

_Enough. ENOUGH._

“Get. Out. Of. My. Way.” Scorpius growled, not sounding nearly as intimidating as he had hoped. Much to his shock, the thing simply drifted away, vanishing into the shadows and he took off, running deeper into the dungeons towards the corridor lined with dreadful barred doors. When he reached Albus’ cell, it seemed to swing open of its own accord and Scorpius dashed inside. “Albus! Albus, we’re getting out of here right -” 

“Too late, I’m afraid, Mr. Malfoy.” An awful, simpering voice bled from the shadows and Scorpius stumbled to a halt. Umbridge was standing in the middle of the room, delicately polishing her wand on the hem of her hideous pink cardigan, a shadowed form on the floor at her feet.

“Headmistress.” Scorpius tried to recover, tried to straighten up and look her in the eyes, but his gaze was drawn to the unmoving figure at her feet, heart pounding wildly against his ribs. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”

“Well then allow me to shed some light on the situation.” She smiled sweetly. “ _Lumos._ ” Umbridge’s wand lit up with a bright blue glow and Scorpius choked on a cry of horror. Albus was laying in a crumpled heap on the ground, vacant eyes staring at him blankly. There was a thin trickle of blood streaming from his mouth, a dark puddle staining the stones underneath his head. His mangled arm was bent out at an awkward angle, clearly broken. He was too pale and too still, and Scorpius let out an agonized whine as he looked at Albus’ eyes. The vibrant green was dull and empty, any semblance of life just _gone_.

“No.” Scorpius shook his head as an unbearable pain swelled in his chest, willing Albus to blink, twitch a finger, breathe, _anything._ His mind wasn’t accepting what he was seeing. “Please no.”

“I’m afraid he outlived his usefulness,” Umbridge said, nudging Albus’ shoulder with her toe. “Pity.”

“YOU HAG.” Scorpius screeched as Umbridge laughed that hair-raising giggle, all rational thought gone. “NO. NO!” The room was spinning into a dizzying whirl of muddied color and Scorpius couldn’t take his eyes off of his lifeless friend and everything was fading to black and - 

“NOO!”

Scorpius' eyes flew open, his terrified cry echoing throughout the chamber. _Umbridge - Albus… Albus was - no… NO_

Scorpius scrambled for his wand and tried to leap up, but was prevented from doing so by something wrapped tightly around his legs. _The snake!_ Scorpius felt tears of sheer panic spring to his eyes as he reached down to try and rip himself free. When his fingers sunk into nothing but silky fabric, he froze and slowly started up at his surroundings. 

He was in his bed, alone in his stupid private dorm with the green satin sheets tangled around his legs. He was drenched in a cold sweat, heart pounding painfully in his ears as he shivered. The sun was just beginning to set, its red glow filtering through the lake and casting bloody shadows across the floor. He couldn't have been asleep for more than a few hours.

_It was just a dream…_ Scorpius exhaled weakly, bringing his hands up to scrub the remainders of sleep from his aching eyes. _Just a dream… a horrible horrible dream._

With a shuddering gasp, he burst into tears. He was just as tired as before he had fallen asleep, maybe even more so. And the awful things he had seen were seared into his memory. "It's just a dream, it's just a dream," Scorpius repeated over and over again as he tried desperately to calm down.

_But was it just a dream?_ A nasty voice hissed. _Every minute you're not with Albus is another minute that something terrible is happening to him. Maybe he’s already dead._ Scorpius’ wand clattered to the floor as he curled into a ball against the headboard, unable to get the memory of Albus’ lifeless eyes out of his head. 

“Stop, stop, stop.” He tucked his forehead against his knees, trying to make himself as small as possible. “He’s not dead.”

_I’d know if he were dead._

Scorpius found himself reaching out for the bedside table, fingers closing around the familiar knotted handle of Albus’ wand. Immediately, the same burst of warmth he had felt in his father’s office shot up his arm and into his chest, finally thawing the ice in his lungs and allowing him the first deep breath he’d taken since he’d woke up. “See?” he let out a broken laugh.

_Wand perfectly intact and here with me. Not broken in the library._

_That proves nothing._

Scorpius really wanted to know where this horrid voice had come from and how he could go about evicting it from his already overfilled brain. He ran his thumb along Albus’ wand one last time before he let out a weak groan and pressed the heels of his hands firmly against his throbbing temples. "Shut it, I know. You think I don't know that." The last bits of adrenaline was finally fading from his system, the awful panicky terror giving way to a familiar bone-deep exhaustion.

It was obvious that he wasn't getting back to sleep any time soon, so Scorpius stretched his aching limbs and rolled out of bed with an uncoordinated flop. He felt like he was moving through molasses as he peeled off his damp robes and began digging through his trunk for new ones.

_Black, black and more black._ Scorpius sighed in irritation as he retrieved another set of harshly tailored robes and pulled them on none too gently. _What I wouldn’t give for a little color._ He continued to grumble to himself as he swept his wand up from where it had rolled under his bed and stuffed it into his pocket next to the time turner. Scorpius suppressed a shiver of revulsion as his fingers brushed against the cold metal, withdrawing his hand immediately. _I hate this._

He grabbed Albus’ wand from his bedside table, carefully sliding it into a separate pocket from his own wand and the time turner. Scorpius couldn’t bring himself to put something of Albus’ so close to the very thing that had gotten them into this mess. He tugged at the collar of his robes as he looked around the room one last time. 

_Enough wasting time. I need to see Professor Snape._

_________________________________________________

  
  


With a brief moment of hesitation in which Scorpius pushed all of his fear into a deep recess of his brain, he was back to playing the part of the Scorpion King. He hardened his expression, strode out of his dorm and into the common room, ignoring the few students trying to get his attention as he passed. His nightmare had sparked something in him, and he let it fuel his determined steps into the corridor. _I won’t let that dream become a reality._

Scorpius found the corridors blissfully quiet; most students were in the Great Hall for dinner by now. This allowed him swift passage to the potions classroom, and for that he was thankful. Unfortunately by the time he had reached the dark wooden door labeled ‘Potions Classroom’, Scorpius realized he had no idea what he was going to say to convince a man deep undercover that he was really from another world and that he needed help rescuing Harry Potter’s son so they could get back to it. 

_What do I say?_ Scorpius panicked as he stared at the closed door. _What should I do? This is a mistake, I should go back to the library and just figure this out on my own. This is too dangerous._ He didn’t even take one step backward before he shook his head sharply. _NO. You need help; Albus needs help. This is your only option._ His mind abruptly flashed brilliant green, Albus’ cries under the Cruciatus Curse filling his head, and that was all Scorpius needed to reach out and push the door open.

The Potions classroom looked largely the same, much to Scorpius’ surprise. So it wasn’t surprising that as he stepped into the slightly hazy room that he almost missed the figure standing in front of the blackboard that was at the head of the class. 

“Did no one teach you to knock, boy?” Scorpius stopped, immediately focusing on the man that could only be - 

“Severus Snape.” He breathed. “This is an honor.” Scorpius was almost at a loss for words. This was Severus Snape, the man from the history books. This was the man that fooled Voldemort for years, spying for Dumbledore and helping win the war. This was the man who Harry Potter had named his son after.

“Professor Snape will do fine.” He drawled as he looked Scorpius over with a disinterested glance. “You may behave like a king at this school, Malfoy, but that doesn’t make us all your subjects.” Snape gave him a dismissive wave and turned back to the complicated equations scrawled all over the chalkboard in front of him.

“But you’re the answer . . .” Scorpius took a cautious step forward. This wasn’t going as he expected.

“How very pleasant for me.” Snape forced out. “If you’ve got something to say, boy, then please say it. If not, close the door on your way out.”

“I need your help.” Scorpius blurted, quickly looking behind him at the open door. _So much for tact._ Satisfied that no one was around to hear his outburst, he turned back around to stare at Professor Snape’s unmoving back. Scorpius was past the point of desperation. This was his last hope, and Albus was running out of time. 

“I exist to serve.” Snape finally turned back to face him with a little mocking bow. 

“I’m just not sure what help I… need.” Scorpius trailed off. “Are you still undercover?” He asked, not missing the way Professor Snape stiffened at his words. “Are you still working secretly for Dumbledore?” 

“Dumbledore?” Snape’s expression grew impossibly colder as he spit out the name like it was poison. Scorpius resisted the urge to turn and run. This was shaping up to be a very dangerous idea indeed. “Dumbledore’s dead.” Snape paused, his icy black eyes boring into Scorpius. “And my work for him was public. I taught in his school.”

Scorpius took a deep breath. It was now or never. “No. That’s not all you did. You watched the Death Eaters for him. You advised him. Everyone thought you’d murdered him, but it turned out you’d been supporting him. You saved the world.” Scorpius flinched horribly when Snape took a step towards him, his voice deep and terrible.

“These are very dangerous allegations, boy. And don’t think the Malfoy name will prevent me inflicting punishment.” Snape pointed a threatening finger at him before walking back to the blackboard, seemingly convinced that the conversation was over.

“What if I was to tell you there was another world.” Scorpius panicked, heart pounding in his chest as he threw caution to the wind. “Another world in which Voldemort was defeated at the Battle of Hogwarts; in which Harry Potter and Dumbledore’s Army won. How would you feel then?” Scorpius twisted his hands together anxiously, knowing how crazy he must sound. 

_This has to work. It has to._

He held his ground as Snape turned around slowly, his expression a mixture of irritation, anger, and something else that Scorpius couldn’t quite put his finger on. “I’d say that the rumors of Hogwarts’ beloved Scorpion King losing his mind are well-founded.” Snape began to turn away again, and Scorpius burst.

“There was a stolen time turner.” He felt a spark of encouragement when Snape froze, not fully looking at him, but not going back to his equations either. “I stole a time turner. With Albus.” Scorpius’ heart ached at the mention of his best friend. “We tried to bring Cedric Diggory back from the dead when he _was_ dead. We tried to stop him winning the Triwizard Tournament. But by doing so we turned him into an almost different person entirely.”

“Harry Potter won that Triwizard Tournament.” Snape cut in with a brief roll of his eyes.

“He wasn’t supposed to do it alone.” Scorpius continued. “Cedric was supposed to win it with him. But we humiliated him out of the tournament. And as a result of that humiliation, he became a Death Eater. I can’t work out what he did in the Battle of Hogwarts… whether he killed someone or… but he did something and it changed everything.” Sometime during Scorpius’ ramblings, Snape had turned back to face him fully and at the mention of Cedric let out an explosive snort.

“Cedric Diggory killed only one wizard and not a significant one at that.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Neville Longbottom.” This revelation hit Scorpius like a brick to the head. The thing he had been missing. The event that no one had been willing to tell him. The piece of the puzzle that made everything click together perfectly. Neville Longbottom.

“Oh, of course, that’s it!” Scorpius felt his face crack into a delirious grin. “Professor Longbottom was supposed to kill Nagini, Voldemort’s snake. Nagini had to die before Voldemort could die.” His exhaustion melted away, overtaken by dizzying and overwhelming joy. “That’s it! You’ve solved it! We destroyed Cedric, he killed Neville, Voldemort won the battle. Can you see? Can you see it?” Scorpius was practically vibrating from excitement. This was the final piece. They had their way home! He looked at Snape with a huge smile on his face. Snape, however, took one glance at Scorpius before narrowing his eyes.

“I can see this is a Malfoy game. Get out before I alert your father and plunge you into deep trouble.” Snape’s words washed over him like ice, instantly dousing Scorpius’ mood and plunging him back into deep, hopeless panic. As he watched Snape essentially dismiss him, Scorpius felt his last bit of restraint snap. 

“You loved his mother.” He cried. Snape froze, one hand extended towards the blackboard and Scorpius continued. “I don’t remember everything. I know you loved his mother, Harry’s mother. Lily. I know you spent years undercover. I know without you the war could never have been won.” He watched Snape for any reaction, anything at all. “How would I know this if I hadn’t seen the other world? Only Dumbledore knew, am I right? And when you lost him you must have felt so alone. I know you’re a good man. Harry Potter told his son, my best friend, you’re a great man.”

“Harry Potter is dead.” Snape bit back, but Scorpius could hear his voice break, shake with barely contained sorrow and that’s when Scorpius knew. 

“Not in my world.” He whispered. “He knew, you see, he knew your secret. Knew what you did for Dumbledore. And he admired you for it, greatly. And that’s why he named his son after you both. Albus Severus Potter.” Scorpius could feel tears burning hotly at the corner of his eyes. This was his last chance. “Please, for Lily, for the world, help me.” He stared at Snape, and Snape stared back. 

Neither of them made a move; neither of them made a sound. Just when Scorpius was sure he was going to pass out from the tension, Snape plunged his hand into his robes and drew his wand, pointing it in Scorpius’ direction. Scorpius’ mind went horrifically blank, a high-pitched buzzing resounding in his ears. With a choked cry he wrapped his arms around his head and ducked, praying to whoever was listening that Snape would at least make it quick.

“ _Colloportus_.” 

Scorpius felt the door slam shut behind him, locking with a brilliant burst of white. He heard Snape’s footsteps approaching and he cringed back with a sharp inhale.

_I’m trapped._

“Malfoy. That boy in the dungeons. Am I to understand that you are the one that brought him here?” Snape was speaking quickly and quietly and Scorpius didn’t know how much more of this extreme emotional unpredictability he could take. “Who is he?” 

“Professor… that’s Albus.” Scorpius breathed, peeking up at Snape from beneath his arms. “Albus Potter. He’s my best friend. H - how did you know that he was here?” He watched Snape’s face go awfully pale.  
  


“That’s impossible - ”

“I know, but it’s true.” Scorpius interrupted, slowly relaxing his hunched posture. “I haven’t quite worked out how he made it through to this timeline given that his parents are dead, but the only important thing is that he gets out.” Scorpius let out a shaky sigh. “Professor, please help me. I - I’m… I’m scared he’ll die.” 

Snape’s stare was incomprehensible as Scorpius pleaded with him one last time. He watched as Snape seemed to deflate before straightening back up, his expression going hard and determined. With an almost imperceptible nod, he turned back to his blackboard. Scorpius almost cried. 

_There’s no way he’s just going to act like nothing just happened! What more can I do?!_

Scorpius watched in numb despair as Snape picked up a piece of chalk and began to trace a large rectangle on the board. However, his eyes widened in shock as the rectangle began to glow with a fierce bright light. Then with a deep cracking sound, the rectangle swung open. But not a rectangle, Scorpius realized. A door. Snape looked back at him, one hand still on the blackboard next to the newly opened mystery doorway.

“Well, come on, then.” Snape waved him forward and Scorpius found his feet moving almost on their own.

“Just a question, but where, exactly, are we going?” He stammered as Snape waved him closer, more on edge now than he had been earlier.

“We've had to move many times,” Snape said in a hurried voice. “Everywhere we've settled they destroyed. This will take us to a room hidden in the roots of the Whomping Willow.” 

“Okay, who's we?” When Scorpius had worked up the courage to step into Severus Snape’s classroom to ask for help, he definitely hadn’t expected to be ending his visit by going through a magical doorway in the bloody blackboard. But here he was.

“Oh. You'll see.” Scorpius looked questioningly back at Snape, the glow from the magical doorway casting harsh shadows across his pinched face. Snape merely rolled his eyes and gave Scorpius a small shove, toppling him through the blackboard without a second thought. Scorpius took a grand total of two stumbling steps into a roughly hewn earthen room, roots dripping from the ceiling, before he was halted by a wand pointed directly between his eyes. Resisting the urge to go cross-eyed, Scorpius cautiously lifted his hands in surrender and stared down the length of the wand to look at just how much trouble he had fallen into. He was met by an achingly familiar face twisted into a fierce expression, dark eyes practically glowing with fiery rage, hair a wild halo around their head. Scorpius felt his heart leap as his jaw dropped in pure shock. 

“Hermione?”


	7. Chapter 7

“Hermione Granger?” Scorpius scrambled backwards as she lunged towards him, panic causing him to trip over his own feet and land on his back with a painful thud. Hermione pounced, crouching over him like a predator as he raised his hands in front of his face.

“You make one more move and your brain will be a frog and your arms will be rubber.” She snapped, pressing her wand closer to him and planting one foot on his chest.

“Safe.” Snape said in an exasperated voice as he climbed through the blackboard. “He’s safe, Hermione.” She didn’t budge, her burning focus still completely on Scorpius. Snape sighed. “You never did listen. You were a terrible bore of a student and you’re a terrible bore of… whatever you are.” This seemed to pull Hermione’s attention and she turned to face him, removing her foot from Scorpius’ chest.

“I was an excellent student.” She bit back.

“You were moderate to average.” Snape conceded. When Hermione still didn’t lower her wand, He rolled his eyes and took a step towards her. “He's on our side!”

“I am, Hermione.” Scorpius said as sincerely as he could, trying to look as small and nonthreatening as possible. Finally, and with a final mistrustful glare, Hermione lowered her wand, instead choosing to keep it held loosely in her hand.

“Most people know me as Granger.” She said as she continued to stare Scorpius down as he cautiously pulled himself to his feet, being sure to make slow and deliberate movements. “And I don't believe a word you say, Malfoy -”

“It's all my fault.” Scorpius blurted out. “My fault. And Albus'.” 

“Albus?” Hermione jumped in, eyes alert with fiery intensity. “Albus Dumbledore? What's Albus Dumbledore got to do with this?” Before Scorpius could explain further, Snape brushed past him.

“He doesn't mean Dumbledore.” Snape grimaced. “You may need to sit down.”

Just then, another person rushed into the small room and Scorpius felt his heart leap as he recognized the familiar red hair of Ron Weasley. He looked just as worn and battle-ready as Hermione, his eyes burning with the same fiery intensity. He relaxed ever so slightly when he caught sight of the professor. “Snape, a royal visit, and -” Then Ron noticed that Hermione and Snape weren’t alone and his face hardened. “Wait what’s he doing here?” Scorpius took an involuntary step back as Ron fumbled with his wand and pointed it at him just like Hermione had done. Before Scorpius even had time to defend himself, Snape stepped in front of him with an exasperated sigh. 

“He’s safe, Ron!” Snape pushed Ron’s wand away. “The boy needs our help.” Ron opened his mouth in disbelief, ready to argue before Snape continued. “He’s not the Malfoy heir of this world. He’s… well… I think it’s best if you explain.” Snape turned to Scorpius as Ron and Hermione finally stashed their wands. 

“Well, where to begin.” Scorpius rubbed at the back of his neck, suddenly anxious now that all eyes were on him. So he told them everything. 

Everything about the world he came from in which Harry was still alive and married to Ginny with three kids and how Harry’s middle son was his best friend. He talked about how he and Albus were in the same house; how he was his only friend. He went into how they decided to steal a time turner from the ministry and their plan to go back to save Cedric Diggory, and the failure that their first attempt had been. At this point he pulled the time turner out of his pocket and reluctantly handed it to Hermione, whose eyes lit up when she took it.

He talked about the changes to their world from their first try and how they foolishly went back to try again. He told them about Moaning Myrtle and the second challenge in the lake. Scorpius fought back tears as he talked about coming back to this world with Albus, someone who shouldn’t exist in a place like this, and how they had been caught by Umbridge and separated. 

He helplessly talked about his constant anxiety and fear that Albus was going to die in this world. He mentioned his father and how he shouldn’t be where he is, and how confused and lost he felt. He briefly talked about his conversation with Snape and all that entailed. But mostly he stressed just how important it was to figure out how to get back and put things right.

When Scorpius had finally run out of steam, he looked at his audience, their silent faces a mixture of shock, disbelief, contemplation, and confusion. He felt very tired all of a sudden.

“So you're telling me that the whole of history rests on . . . Neville Longbottom?” Ron said with a snort. “This is pretty wild.”

“It has to be true, Ron.” Hermione murmured, still engrossed with examining the time turner.

“So you believe this rubbish?” Ron asked incredulously, gesturing to Scorpius with a careless wave.

“It has to be true.” Hermione repeated. “The things he knows about Snape, about all of us.” 

“Maybe he’s a really good guesser?” Ron countered.

“I’m really not.” Scorpius said quickly. “Please, I know you don’t trust me. I wouldn’t trust me in this world either, but my best friend is in danger and I need help.” He felt his voice crack horribly as he looked at the three people staring at him. Scorpius didn’t know if he could handle being rejected by the trio of adults around him. “I - I can’t let him die here. Please. Can you help me?”

“Well we're the only ones that can, aren’t we.” Ron sighed as he ran a hand down his drawn face. “Dumbledore's Army has shrunk considerably since its peak. In fact, we're pretty much all that's left, but we've kept fighting on. Hiding in plain sight. Doing our best to tickle their nose hairs.” It was then that Scorpius could see just how tired they all were. “

_I’m barely managing to keep hiding after only a few days._ He thought. _They’ve been doing it for years._

“Granger here is a wanted woman.” Ron continued, gesturing to Hermione with a small smile that was almost proud. “I'm a wanted man.”

“Less wanted.” Snape said dryly, earning him a dirty glare from Ron.

“To be clear,” Hermione cut in, still clutching the time turner in an iron grip. “In this other world . . . ? Before you meddled?” 

“Voldemort is dead.” Scorpius confirmed, not missing the relief that washed over the adults in the room. “Killed in the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry is Head of Magical Law Enforcement.” He turned to Hermione with a small smile. “You're Minister for Magic.” Scorpius watched as Hermione’s worn face melted into a warm grin, excitement dancing in her eyes. 

“I’m Minister for Magic?” As she stood there taking in this bit of information, Scorpius saw the years fall off of her as she suddenly looked more and more like the Hermione from his world.

“Brilliant. What do I do?” Ron asked quickly, bouncing on his heels.

“You run Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.” Scorpius exclaimed. Ron’s face fell slightly.

“Okay, so, she's Minister for Magic and I run a… joke shop?” Scorpius looked into Ron’s hurt face.

“You're mostly focused on bringing up the kids.” He said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. This wasn’t really where he had foreseen the conversation going. 

“Great.” Ron looked mollified with this information. “I expect their mother is hot.” Scorpius suddenly found it difficult to look anywhere other than the floor, cheeks heating up in embarrassment. _Definitely_ not where he had foreseen this conversation going. 

“Well… Um… Depends what you think of … The thing is, you two sort of have kids… together. A daughter and a son.” Scorpius braved a look up to see that Ron and Hermione were staring at each other with open mouths, Snape standing impassively in the background. “Married. In love. Everything.” Scorpius confirmed, as the pair remained absolutely silent. “You were shocked the other time too.” He said in an attempt to lighten the mood. “When you were Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Ron was married to Padma. You're constantly surprised by it.”

“Not now, Weasley.” Hermione finally snapped, though not with any real nastiness behind it. Ron, for his part, very forcefully closed his mouth but continued to stare at Hermione like he’d never seen her before.

“And, Snape?” Hermoine said in an attempt to diffuse the awkwardness in the room. “What does Snape do in this other world?” Scorpius inhaled sharply. Snape didn’t know. Of course he wouldn’t know. What should he say? _Sorry, but you’re dead_ didn’t really sound like something you tell someone you’re asking for help from. 

“I'm dead, presumably.” Snape said flatly, causing Scorpius to look at him in alarm. He smiled thinly. “You were a little too surprised to see me.” Scorpius felt his face fall. 

_You lost control of yourself_ . He thought morosely. _Way to go._

“How?” Snape asked.

“Bravely?” Scorpius offered, almost too afraid to tell Snape the truth. 

“Who?” Snape was staring intently at him, almost as if he already knew the answer.

“Voldemort.” Scorpius breathed, watching as Snape barely masked his surprise. 

“How very irritating.” Snape drawled. There was an awful silence in the room as everyone digested what Scorpius had just said. 

_I shouldn’t have said anything._ Scorpius anxiously tugged at the hem of his robes. _This isn’t going to end well._ He was shocked when after a moment, Snape merely shrugged. 

“Still, there's glory in being taken down by the Dark Lord himself, I suppose.” 

“I'm sorry, Severus.” Hermione said softly.

“Well, at least I'm not married to him.” Snape shot Ron an amused look while Ron simply grinned in the face of the insult.

“Married _with_ kids.” Ron said, a little too pleased with himself. “How many did you say we have again?” He asked, turning to Scorpius.

“Two.” Scorpius told him again. “And Harry has three.”

“So the boy you came here with. He’s really Harry’s son?” Ron said, looking at Scorpius with a softer expression as he nodded. “And his Mum...?”

“Ginny Weasley.” Scorpius swallowed past the lump that formed in his throat any time Albus was mentioned. “I swear it on my life. He looks just like him too. He…” Here Scorpius paused. Thinking about the state he had last seen Albus in made him sick with worry. “They’re torturing him.” He breathed, hating the way his voice broke. “They’re torturing him and I can’t do a thing about it. He looks terrible, and he’s starting to get sick. I need to get him out. I need to bring him home.” 

“We’ll help you Scorpius.” With those words, Scorpius felt a deep wave of relief wash over him. Hermione looked at him with a strange expression on her face, mouth twisted into a small, sad smile. “It won’t be easy but for Harry’s son,” She paused, “Albus. Harry’s son, Albus. But we’ve got to give it our best shot.”

“You're risking everything -” Snape started before Hermione cut him off with a glare.

“We get this right, Harry's alive, Voldemort's dead, and the Augurey is gone, for that no risk is too great.” Hermione softened after a moment. “Though I am sorry what it will cost you.”

“Some costs are made to be borne.” Snape and Hermione shared a look before Snape deflated suddenly. “I didn't just quote Dumbledore, did I?”

“No,” She smiled. “I'm pretty sure that's pure Severus Snape.” The moment was broken by Ron clearing his throat rather loudly. “What spells did you use when you went back?” Hermione asked, her voice back to being business-like and firm. 

“Expelliarmus in the first task and Engorgio in the second.” Scorpius rattled off, not daring to believe that these warriors were actually about to help him.

“Simple shield charms should set both of those right.” Ron responded, giving Scorpius’ shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“And then you left?” Snape questioned.

“The time turner took us back, yes.” Scorpius nodded, an unfamiliar feeling starting to take root in his chest. “That's the thing… this time turner, you only get five minutes in the past.”

“And can you still only move in time, not space?” Hermione was staring at the time turner in her hands, a look of cautious hope shining from her eyes.

_Hope._ Scorpius realized with a start. _This feeling in my chest… It’s hope._

“Yes, yes, it's… uh… you travel back in the same spot you stand in.” Scorpius could barely breathe as the adults shared a look that he couldn’t decipher. 

“Interesting.” Hermione breathed, her eyes far away in thought. After a moment, she turned to give Ron a sharp nod, and Ron seemed to know what that meant because he was across the room in a flash, pulling an old battered map down from the wall and pinning it in place. Scorpius recognized it as a map of Hogwarts and the surrounding grounds.

“The first task of the tournament took place at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.” Hermione started, jabbing her wand at a point on the map. “We turn time here, get to the tournament, block the spell, and then return safely. With precision, it can be done and it won't require us to show our faces outside in our time at all. Then we'll turn time again, make our way to the lake, and reverse the second task.”

“What about Albus?” Scorpius said quickly, panic beginning to bubble in his stomach. “I’m not leaving him.” 

“Right.” Hermione slumped slightly. “The boy complicates things.”

“Albus.” Scorpius said hotly.

“Sorry, Albus.” Hermione corrected. “How do we get Albus out from under the thumb of Umbridge?” 

“Whatever we do is risky.” Snape agreed. “You two certainly can’t be showing your faces in Hogwarts.” He directed this to Ron and Hermione. “The dementors would be on you in seconds.”

“I can’t leave him.” Scorpius said desperately. 

“We know, Scorpius.” Hermione repeated. “We’re just trying to figure out how to do this without getting anything wrong. We’re only going to have one shot, after all.”

“I understand.” Scorpius said, reaching up to tug at his hair in frustration. “I just…” And then an idea struck him. “What if I bring him here?” Ron, Hermione, and Snape began talking all at once.

“Absolutely not -”

“Very dangerous -”

“Too risky -”

“No, no it’s the only way.” Scorpius said over the overlapping voices. “Just think about it. As the Scorpion King, I’m given access to practically anything I want, correct?”

“Well, yes but -”

“And I’ve already figured out that I can visit the dungeons at any hour without question.” Scorpius barreled on. “So it’s the only logical choice. I have to get Albus.” After a long silence in which the three adults stared back and forth at each other, seemingly trying to find another way, Hermione took a deep breath and sighed.

“I’m afraid the boy is right. He needs to be the one.”

“Great! We have a plan. So let’s go right now.” Scorpius began to make his way to the door.

_They had a plan. They actually had a plan! Albus could be home by tonight._

“I’m afraid that would be unwise.” Snape spoke up, halting Scorpius in his tracks. “There has been a higher Death Eater presence than usual in the school for the Blood Ball. 

“Security _has_ already been increased in preparation for Friday night.” Hermione confirmed grimly. “We need to wait until after.”

“What if he doesn’t survive that long?” Scorpius exploded as he whirled back around to stare them down, no longer intimidated by any of them. His hands had started to shake and tears of frustration burned his eyes. “You haven’t seen him! You haven’t seen what they’ve done to him!”

“I understand, Scorpius.” Hermione interrupted him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “But, it will be safer for him, and for you, if we wait until we stand the best chance. If he’s anything like Harry, he’d want you safe.” 

“But… but.” Scorpius stammered, still feeling the tingle of repressed anger running through his veins. “I don’t want to leave him alone.”

“Scorpius, dear, we know.” Hermione said kindly.

“And this means that I actually have to go to this Blood Ball thing?” Scorpius forced out, his voice impossibly small. “I’ve never been to any ball of any sort, _ever_ , and I have no idea what to do or what’s expected of me. And I’m apparently going with Polly Chapman. Polly Chapman of all people!”

“You’re telling me that you, a Malfoy, has no idea what to do at a party?” Snape said, his eyebrows arched in disbelief. Scorpius felt himself blushing slightly. The truth was that Dad had actually spent quite a bit of time teaching him etiquette and Mum had been an excellent dancer. So he could probably hold his own quite well at a ball if he wanted to. But...

“It’s not that!” Scorpius yelped. “I just don’t want to go to a party with a girl I don’t like, to celebrate ideals I don’t agree with, all while my best friend is suffering. I can’t… I can’t -”

“You must.” Snape interrupted. “We cannot risk acting while the castle is crawling with Death Eaters. Anything we try would fail, and then where would you and your friend be?”

“It’s just that -”

“Dead, Malfoy.” Snape said, dangerously calm. “Your friend would experience unimaginable torture, much worse that what he has already endured, before being killed in the most gruesome way they could think of and believe me they can be quite creative.” He stared at Scorpius with hard eyes. “And they would do the same to you. And then you both would be dead along with any hope this world has left.”

“You can do this, Scorpius.” Hermione said softly. Scorpius let out a shaky breath, wiping at the tears of frustration that had begun to form at the corners of his eyes.

“Alright.” He whispered, defeated and resigned. “Alright.”

“Here, you want to take some of these to Albus?” Ron spoke up from over by a dilapidated old cabinet that Scorpius hadn’t noticed before. “We’re not exactly the hospital wing, but we’ve got a few things stashed away that should help.” He started rummaging around, the clinking sound of bottles and vials shifting echoing in the small room. “The way you describe it, he needs it more than we do.” Ron produced three vials of varying sizes and pressed them into Scorpius’ hands. “That red one there is a Blood-Replenishing potion, pretty self-explanatory. The bright green one,” he gestured to the smallest vial, “Should help keep his fever under control until you get him home. And that one,” Ron pointed to the remaining vial which was a pale blue with what looked like little stars floating in it, “Is for pain. Don’t give it to him all at once. Make it last.” He turned over his shoulder. “Oi Granger, do we have any more of the dittany?”

“I’m afraid we used it all last month.” Hermione shook her head. “Besides it would be risky to get rid of too much external damage, as much as it pains me to say. Umbridge would know something wasn’t quite right.”

Scorpius deflated a little as he gently placed the vials in his pocket. He had hoped there was going to be something he could do about Albus’ mangled arm and the wound across his face sooner rather than later. The longer they were left untreated, the more likely they were going to scar, and Scorpius didn’t think he could stomach Albus having to keep a reminder of this place on his skin forever. But even that thought wasn’t enough to take away the glimmer of hope he felt. He had allies and a plan now. He just had to wait, play his part and be patient for the proper moment, and keep Albus alive until then.

“Thank you.” Scorpius said, smiling thinly at his new allies. “For all of your help. I was terribly lost and so alone before this. But, I really should go.” He tugged at his sleeve, suddenly uncomfortable. “I want to get these to Albus as soon as possible.” Just the thought of helping Albus even a little was making Scorpius restless to get moving.

“I’ll take you back, boy.” Snape spoke up. “It’s about time I return to the wolves as well, before anyone notices my absence” He fixed Ron and Hermione with a stern look. “You will await my signal before going forward with any of this plan.” Ron looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it when Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

“Um, Hermione.” Scorpius said quietly, noticing that she still held the time turner in her grip. “The time turner. Can I have it back?” For a brief moment, Scorpius was terrified that she would refuse, and it almost looked like she wanted to. But much to his relief, Hermione handed it back to him with a small sigh.

“I suppose I don’t need to tell you this, but keep it safe.” She said, staring at him seriously. Scorpius nodded.

“Of course.”

“Shall we be off then, Malfoy?” Snape drawled, having already opened the door in the blackboard. Scorpius almost didn’t move. This was the first time he was surrounded by people who were kind, and good, and he didn’t feel like he was going to be stabbed in the back at any moment. But the soft clinking of glass from his pocket reminded him that he had a mission.

“Right.” Scorpius took one last look at Ron and Hermione who were now looking at each other with some strange light in their eyes that hadn’t been there before. “Lead the way, Professor.”

_________________________________________________

  
  


He was floating. Floating… that didn’t make sense. And he was cold, no, hot? No, cold because he couldn’t stop shivering. The ground was cold. It felt nice, the cold. But why? Wasn’t he cold? No, hot. Hot and cold. Shivering. 

Scorpius? Reach out, find Scorpius. 

Stone, cold, rough. No Scorpius. Arm is on _fire,_ ow ow ow. Stop moving and breathe. Breathing hurts. Head hurts. Breathe.

No Scorpius? Must've dreamed. 

Sudden loud noise, ouch. Head hurts. Bright light. Bright pink? Lots of pink.

“How are we doing this morning?” A voice, irritating, uneasy, don’t like it. 

Hide. Don’t move. Be small. _Don’t hurt me._

Sharp pain. Pulling hair, stop stop please. Pulling up.

Kneeling. Knees hurt. 

“I've written to the Augurey about you.” Loud voice, stop please, head hurts. Voice keeps going? Don’t understand. Noise. Just noise.

Flash of red, that’s new. Look past the pink. Stare. So blurry, head hurts.

So loud. Why is she yelling so loudly? Focus. Focus.

PAIN. _Painpainpainstopstopstopplease._ Screaming. I’m screaming. Throat hurts so bad.

Red. Red hair. Mum. Mum? Mum looks so sad. Why? What is she doing?

Mum, help please. Don’t go.

Pain stopped. Breathe, breathe. Twitching, hurts. No more, please.

On the ground again. Stone cold, feels nice. Hot? No, cold. No, hot.

Sharp pain again, pulling hair. Yanking up again. Stop. Head hurts.

Kneeling, knees burn. Dizzy, dizzy, sick. Stomach hurts. Room spinning. Stomach _hurts_.

Choking, can’t breathe, hands hit ground, choking, can’t breathe. Heaving. Chest burns, on fire? What’s happening? 

Retching. Sick sick sick. Mum? Where did Mum go?

“Oh, you disgusting creature.” Bad voice, angry. Scared, please. _Sorry sorry sorry._

“Sorry.” Throat hurts, scratchy, don’t talk.

So cold. Sick. Cold. Hot? Shivering. 

More talking, can’t understand. Mum? Please.

Cold. Shirt gone. Wait, why? No. Scared, scared, scared pleasepleasepleaseohplease

Cloth? New clothes? Scratchy, wrong. Long sleeves, arm hurts. New clothes, why?

Pain again, pulling up, why why why? Stop please. Hurts.

Knees again. So dizzy. Tired.

“You really are a disgusting thing, aren’t you.”

Sorry sorry sorry _sorry_.

Quiet… quiet… quiet… 

“You must be thirsty after that display.”

What?

Fingers in hair again - _please no_ \- holding still. Can’t move. Something cold touching mouth. Cold? Wet? Water? 

Drink.

Not water. Bitter. Bitter. Hands gone.

PAIN. BURNING. Throat, mouth, stomach, everything on FIRE. _Whywhywhy._

Retching, heaving, nothing nothing. Dying, _dying._

Screaming, who’s screaming? I’m screaming. Bleeding, melting, help.

“I hope you learned a valuable lesson.” What? Why. Mum? Please, Mum.

Door closed, dark. So dark. Falling… falling, shaking, burning, gagging, bleeding. Tired.

Drifting.

Pain.

Drifting. 

Burning.

Drifting.

Dark eyes? Dead eyes. Flash of green. Someone crying? I’m crying. A girl is crying? Green green green light. Mum? Dad? Gone, gone, no.

Stop stop stop

Dad? Mum, where’s Dad? 

Awake? Loud noise, door. _Please_.

Dark eyes, dark hair, dark dark dark. Dark hair?

"Dad?" Ouch, throat hurts, burns.

"I'm afraid not." New voice, slow voice. Who?

Closer, too close, don't. Focus, focus. Dark hair, dark eyes, dark everything.

"So the rumors are true. A Potter has returned to Hogwarts."

No, no, bad. Don't.

"Please." Throat hurts.

Shaking, pain pain pain, can't breathe, please help. Hot? No, cold. No, hot.

Hand. Hand? Cool hand on forehead. Feels nice. Hot.

"You really do look unfortunately like your father."

Quiet, quiet, quiet.

"Poor thing."

Quiet, quiet, quiet.

Moving, moving? Sitting up. No pain, gentle, slow. Leaning on something hard. Stone? Cold.

"Scorpius?" Ouch, throat hurts.

"The Malfoy boy? How do you…"

Quiet, quiet, quiet.

"That foolish child." Angry? No no no, sorry.

"Sorry." Throat burns, ouch.

"Just be quiet if it hurts, boy."

_Sorry_.

Quiet. Someone moving. Tired, drifting. Mum, please. Where's Dad?

"Drink." 

No no no no. No more pain please. Get away, get _away_.

“It’s just water, boy.”

Liar, _liar._ Turn away, hide, hide, protect.

A sigh? Hand back on forehead. Cool, nice. Don’t hurt me.

“Please.” Throat burns, ouch.

“Just drink.”

Mum… Mum I’m so scared.

Cold. Wet. _I’m scared_. Wet. Water! Water, drink. Thank you thank you thank you.

"Easy boy. Don't choke."

Slow, slow, careful. Ok.

Mum, why are you crying?

More water, go slow. Throat cool. Thank you.

"Thanks." Croaky, but doesn't hurt. Doesn't hurt.

Quiet, quiet, quiet.

"How old are you, boy?"

What? Why? Confused. Dizzy, lean back, rest.

"Fourteen."

Cursing, muttering, angry? Sorry, sorry. Cold. No, hot? Cold. Shaking, hurts.

Mum, where's Dad? Sorry, Dad. Sorry.

Loud noise, door closed? Dark. Quiet. Alone? Dizzy. So dizzy. Tired. Slipping… falling. Ground is cold. 

Drifting

Drifting

Drifting

Drifting

Dark eyes? Dead eyes. Flash of green. Someone crying? I’m crying. A girl is crying? Green green green light. Mum? Dad? Gone, gone, no. James? Jamie? Wake up! Lils, Lily please no. I'm sorry I'm sorry Scorp they're gone, GONE. 

Make the screaming stop. Sing? Mum likes singing. Chest hurts. Calm down, sing.

Mum? Please, I'm scared, Mum.

_________________________________________________

  
  


The sun had set by the time Scorpius made his way out of the Potions class and back into the corridors. Snape's parting words sat heavy on his mind.

"Be careful, boy." He had said after sealing the door in the blackboard behind them. "I don't need to tell you that you are surrounded by people who would turn in their own mother to keep favor with the Dark Lord." Snape's dark eyes bored into him. "Be safe. Be smart. Lay low and don't do anything foolish. Come back to me the night after the Blood Ball. The castle should be well and cleared out by then. Bring your Albus and keep him as quiet as you can." Snape then drew his wand, and Scorpius was pleased with himself for not flinching at the sight. "Now, before you go. A few spells to practice. Yes, Malfoy. Homework if you will."

And so Scorpius found himself practicing in a private lesson with Severus Snape himself, pushing himself to learn until his arms were weak and sweat dripped down his temple. "Let's review." Snape finally said, sliding his wand back into his pocket in one fluid motion.

"Episkey." Scorpius panted. "Used to fix minor breaks and injuries like broken noses or split lips."

"Next?"

"Confringo. Blasting charm. Causes objects to burst into flame."

"And finally?"

"Homenum Revelio. Used to detect any human nearby."

"Good. It would also be wise to brush up on everything you've learned thus far. No telling what you'll be up against." Snape looked him over one last time. "You are dismissed."

And so, he found himself once again traversing the empty corridors, heading deeper into the dungeons with every step. Except this time, instead of bone-deep dread, Scorpius felt hopeful. Hopeful that he finally had a way home. Hopeful that he had something that was going to help Albus. And hopeful that this nightmare was so close to being over.

However, his mood took a turn for the worse when he rounded the corner and almost ran smack into two tall hooded figures that were standing near the top of the stairs that led to the deeper dungeons. "Watch where you're going, boy." The one on the left snapped, their deep voice echoing strangely behind the frightening silver mask they wore.

"Um - ah - I'm sorry I didn't -" Scorpius tried to take a step backwards but stopped when he saw the figure reaching for their wand.

"Students out of bed at this hour." The mask tilted ominously to the side. "Well we just can't have that."

"Let me pass." Scorpius attempted to sound haughty, straightening up and staring at the masked figures with a cold look.

"Wait a moment, Lestrange." The shorter figure on the right who had yet to speak laid a restraining hand on the other's arm. "That's Malfoy's boy." Scorpius remained stock still, heart pounding in his chest.

“You think I don’t recognize my own nephew, Nott?” The Death Eater snapped, but he lowered his hand without drawing his wand.

“What are you doing out here so late, Malfoy?” Scorpius forced his face to stay neutral as he realized who was standing in front of him.

“Extra lessons with Professor Snape.” He tried to sound bored as he shoved his shaking hands into his pockets with an irritated sigh. “Apparently he thinks my Draught of Living Death needed some help.”

“And why aren’t you headed back to your dorm?”

“Needed to blow off some steam.” The words felt like ash on his tongue, but they appeared to have the desired effect when Lestrange let out a short laugh.

“That sounds about right for you, doesn’t it.” Much to Scorpius’ relief, he stepped aside. “Go on, then.” Scorpius took a cautious step forward, ready for the pair to jump him any second. But when they did nothing, he forced himself to casually walk between them and down the steps, hating the fact that he was exposing his back to literal Death Eaters.

“But go straight back to your room when you’re done!” Nott called after him as he continued his descent. 

This time when he encountered the dementor in the main corridor, he almost didn’t make it past. Scorpius was so overwhelmed by his surprise encounter with the pair of Death Eaters that the rattling breath of the dementor cut through him like a knife. He froze, staring up at the hovering figure in horror as a faint feminine voice began echoing in his head. “Mum?” Scorpius choked, unable to do anything but stare at the dementor drifting ever closer. His Mum was talking to him. She wanted him to come to her, and Merlin what he wouldn’t give to be in his Mum’s arms right now. He took a shaking step forward. “Mum?” Why couldn’t he see her? Where was she hiding? He was so cold. Why was he so cold? 

_Albus needs you._ A sharp voice shouted in his mind, making him stumble and wince. _Snap out of it!_ Scorpius shook his head, clearing the fog from his eyes to see that the dementor was less than a foot from his face, floating and rattling and altogether horrifying. He staggered back with a weak cry, pulling his wand out of his robes. 

"Not today." He gasped, frantically trying to pull a happy memory out of his thoughts just in case he needed it. 

_I’ve never actually cast a patronus before_ . Scorpius pushed back with all his might against his fear, trying to shove it back into the deep corners of his brain. _And I don’t know how this is going to go if I have to now._

The dementor didn’t move but it also didn’t get any closer so Scorpius rolled his shoulders back and snarled, “Move.” For an agonizing moment, nothing happened.

_Happy thoughts, happy thoughts._ Scorpius panicked. Eleven years old on the Hogwarts Express. A new friend, his first friend fighting with his family in order to sit with him. Awkward jokes and stupid smiles, and Pepper Imps. The sight of Hogwarts glowing across the lake, sitting next to his new friend in the boats knowing that his life was about to begin. _And it certainly isn’t going to end here!_ Scorpius took a deep breath and leveled his wand at the dementor’s head. 

“ _Expecto -_ ” He didn’t even finish the incantation before the dementor turned aside and melted away into the shadows, leaving the corridor clear ahead of him.

_That was too close._ Scorpius thought nervously as he continued on, wand still clenched tightly in his hand. _One of these times, that isn't going to work and I’m going to have to successfully cast that spell._ But he didn’t stop to dwell on that problem. His brain was currently occupied by far too many problems. As Scorpius rounded the corner to the corridor lined with the horrible barred doors, he was grimly satisfied to see that he could easily identify the cell that Albus was in because the door was still scarred with the scorch marks that his blasting spell had left.

“ _Alohomora_.” He muttered, and then quickly followed that up by lighting the tip of his wand with a warm glow. 

_There’s no way I’m letting myself scare him this time._ Scorpius gently pushed the door open, being sure that his wand light was clearly illuminating his face. 

“Albus?” He called softly. Scorpius took a careful step into the room, but stopped in the doorway because he was now able to make out a weak and mumbled voice quietly singing something. 

“ _Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away._

_Now it looks as though they're here to stay._

_Oh, I believe in yesterday_.” 

Scorpius didn’t recognize the song but he did recognize the voice, and as he slid fully into the room so he could close the door behind him, he felt his heart constrict at the sight he was met with. 

Albus was laying in a crumpled heap on the floor, shaking and shivering against the filthy stones. Scorpius realized with a start that he wasn’t wearing the same thing he had been before; the Gryffindor colors replaced with thin grey robes that were too large for Albus, sleeves falling over his hands and slipping off of one shoulder. His face was deathly pale, the only color being a horrible flush high on his cheeks and the dreadful red gash that didn’t look any better. His eyes, barely open, were far away and glassy, deep with exhaustion and bruising. 

Albus didn’t seem to notice Scorpius’ presence. He just continued to shake, stuttering through his song. 

_“Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be._

_There's a shadow hanging over me._

_Oh, yesterday came suddenly._ ”

“I don’t recognize that one.” Scorpius choked out, trying so hard to keep his voice from crumpling. 

_Oh Merlin, help me._

Scorpius still couldn’t seem to pull Albus’ attention; he was too lost in his own world. So he took a tentative step forward and sank to his knees in front of Albus’ face. “Hey, Albus?” Finally, his fevered gaze shifted upwards and Scorpius watched him struggle to focus, one hand scratching uselessly against the stones. “What are you singing, Albus?”

“Dad sang ‘lot.” Albus slurred, his voice small and unsteady. “Helped w’th nightmares n’ stuff.” Scorpius reached out and smoothed some of Albus’ tangled hair away from his forehead, wincing at the burning heat he felt.

“My Mum used to sing to me.” Scorpius replied. “I know how much that helps.” He started when he felt Albus’ fingers brush against his, a look of raw desperation alight in his too-bright eyes. “What can I do?” He whispered, voice cracking.

“‘M cold, Scorp…” Albus whimpered. “But ‘m hot too.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but nothing came.

“Merlin, Albus.” Scorpius couldn’t restrain himself any longer. He carefully reached down and pulled Albus into his arms, wrapping him in the biggest hug he could manage. Immediately, Albus threw his arms around Scorpius’ waist with more strength than Scorpius thought possible, seemingly uncaring of his mangled forearm, and buried his face in his shoulder with a watery gasp. Scorpius sat there for a moment, one arm around Albus’ shoulders and the other cradling the back of his head, heart pounding in fear because Albus was so much worse than when he’d left him and what was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to leave him here until Saturday night? He could easily feel Albus’ ribs, the ridge of his spine, the sharpness of his shoulder blades. How long can you go without eating? Scorpius was so wrapped up in his panic that he didn’t feel Albus pull back until he felt fingers clumsily patting at his cheek.

“Your face ‘s leaking.” Albus sounded confused as he carefully ran his thumb underneath Scorpius’ eye. In a daze, Scorpius reached up as well, surprised by the moisture that he found there.

_When did I start crying?_ He wondered as he stared at his hand in bewilderment. 

“Scorp?”

“Yes, I suppose it is.” Scorpius laughed brokenly, not able to hide his distress from Albus even when he was sick out of his mind.

“Why?” Albus breathed as he continued to absently touch Scorpius’ face.

“Because I’m sad.” Scorpius said honestly, seeing no point in lying. 

“Oh.” Albus wiped a few more tears off of Scorpius’ cheeks before freezing to stare intently at something on his face. “Scorp?” He lightly touched the bruise that had formed on Scorpius’ cheek from the encounter with his father. His face was creased in alarm as he pulled his hand away like he had been burned. “Who?”

“It’s nothing.” Scorpius said casually. He had honestly forgotten that it was even there, and it didn’t hurt. 

“No.” Albus was getting more agitated as he stared at Scorpius in muted horror. “My fault.”

“Absolutely not.” Scorpius said firmly. “This one is entirely my fault, no arguments.”

Suddenly a violent muscle spasm pulled Albus' weak focus away from Scorpius’ face and he burrowed back into Scorpius’ shoulder with a broken sob. As Scorpius held Albus as tightly as he could, rocking him though the painful tremors, his mind began to race.

_Why did these spasms keep happening? What were they a symptom of? What had they done to Albus and how could he help? What if they were permanent? Dark magic had its way of leaving behind nasty scars. What if this was one of them?_

Albus' fingers were digging into his back and Scorpius knew there were going to be bruises there later, but he found that he didn't care _. If this is what he needs, it's worth it._ After what felt like ages and it seemed like Albus was finally starting to relax, his grip loosening ever so slightly, Scorpius leaned down and gently rested his forehead against Albus' hair. "I wish I could do something to make this stop." 

"Hurts." 

"I know, I know and I'm so sorry I -" Scorpius froze. "I am an idiot." He had a pocket full of somethings he could use to make this stop, or at least not hurt as badly. Fury at himself for being such a forgetful berk burned in his stomach as he shifted to pull the potions out of his pocket. He placed the three vials on the ground and grabbed the pale blue one, fumbling to uncork it with one hand. "Albus, I'm so sorry I forgot. But I've got something for you to help with the pain." He tried to help Albus shift so that he was propped up better, but much to Scorpius' surprise he refused, pressing further into his shoulder instead. "Albus, what are you doing?"

"Please." Scorpius was startled to hear that Albus' voice was weak with terror, a fine tremble shaking his clenched hands. "I can't I can't I can't."

"A-Albus. It's going to help you." Scorpius couldn't for the life of him work out why Albus was so scared all of a sudden. "What's wrong?"

"Mum's crying." Albus choked, staring off behind Scorpius with wild eyes. "Why's she crying?" Scorpius felt his heart shatter.

"Albus, do you see your Mum right now?"

"She's crying." Albus said helplessly as he continued to stare. Scorpius glanced over his shoulder in the direction that Albus was looking and as expected he saw nothing except a stone jug that definitely hadn't been there before.

_Did they finally realize that they're killing him and that he needs water?_ Scorpius thought hotly. _Those foul, loathsome, evil little -_

"Mum?"

"Albus… I'm sorry, she's not here."

"Oh."

"Please just take this." Scorpius pleaded. "Why are you so scared?"

“I… I..." Albus cringed when his arm brushed against one of the tailored ridges in Scorpius' robes, the pain seeming to be catching up with him.

"Would I ever do anything to hurt you?"

"N-no."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes…"

"Just a tiny sip, Albus." Scorpius felt him take a shuddering breath and nod, finally leaning back to look at the vial in his hand. " Just a little bit." Scorpius repeated. Albus reached out tentatively to take the potion, but his hands were shaking so badly he could barely grasp the glass. Scorpius wordlessly kept his hand on the vial, helping Albus guide it to his lips. For a moment, Scorpius feared that Albus was going to knock the potion out of his hand, but then he took a small swallow, eyes squeezed shut and free hand tangled in Scorpius' robes.

At first, nothing happened. Albus sat there breathing shallowly as Scorpius re-corked the vial and slid it back into his pocket. _What if it doesn't work?_ Scorpius thought nervously, feeling Albus continue to tremble against him. _He's never going to trust me again_. And then, Albus inhaled sharply and went absolutely limp, sagging against Scorpius with a small sigh.

"Holy shit…"

Scorpius was caught so off guard by Albus' exclamation that he couldn't help but laugh, the proof that his friend was still in there was such a relief that he felt as though a huge weight had lifted off his shoulders. "So I gather that helped?" He asked as Albus continued to pull in slow and steady breaths. 

"Mmhmm." Albus nodded and pulled back slightly so Scorpius could see his face. While his eyes were still glazed with fever, they seemed clearer and more focused; he was actually able to hold eye contact now.

"Well then, I think you're really going to like this next one." Scorpius grinned as he picked up the green vial. “This one’s for the fever, and you’ve got to drink the whole thing, ok?” 

“K.” Albus murmured, reaching out one clumsy hand for the vial. Just before Scorpius handed him the potion, a crazy idea sprung into his head.

"I wonder…" Scorpius popped the cork out and swirled the shimmery liquid around in front of his face. "Let me see your arm." Albus shrunk back a little, pulling his arm to his chest almost on instinct. "Does it still hurt?" 

"Yes." Albus had started chewing on his bottom lip. "’M sorry..."

"Not your fault." Scorpius said quickly. “No need for an apology.” He held out his hand slowly. "I’m not going to hurt you, Albus. I just want to help." Albus stared at him, pain dancing across his face as he anxiously rubbed at his elbow. Then, with a watery sigh, he shivered and untangled his fingers from Scorpius' robes, reaching down to roll his sleeve up with uncoordinated movements. Scorpius felt something in his stomach twist at the sight of how horribly infected Albus' arm had become. Taking a deep breath, Scorpius took Albus' hand in his and dripped several drops of the potion onto the wounds.

_It's not necessarily how Ron said to use it, but…_ He watched as Albus' skin began to sizzle and smoke, green fumes rising up in perfect spirals. But Albus didn't even flinch; he just stared in mute fascination as the wounds on his arm knit together ever so slightly and the angry red swelling all but vanished. The gashes still looked truly awful but it looked like, at least for now, the infection was under control.

"Here's the rest." Scorpius handed the vial to Albus, warmth spreading through his chest when he was able to grasp the potion on his own.

_Please let this work._ Scorpius watched to make sure that Albus drank the whole thing, not wanting to risk this not working.

Albus dropped the empty vial to the ground with a sputtering cough, wiping at his mouth with a frown. "Ugh."

"Are you ok?" Scorpius panicked as Albus continued to cough. "What's wrong?"

"Tastes gross." Albus grimaced. "Like grass, but sour."

"Oh." Scorpius sagged in relief. Already he could see the flush fading from Albus' cheeks and his eyes, still bloodshot with exhaustion and bloody with whatever trauma had caused the vessels to burst, finally began to focus. He watched as Albus looked around the room almost like he was seeing it for the first time, his eyes lingering on the jug in the corner before coming back to him.

“Hi Scorpius." And even though he was so bloody _tired_ of crying, Scorpius almost burst into tears at the sight of his best friend looking at him with clear eyes and a small relieved smile on his face.

"Hey." He managed to say as he felt his own face breaking into a smile in return. He had almost forgotten what smiling felt like, and he found that he missed it. Albus let out a soft groan as he stretched and pushed himself back so that he was leaning against a wall. Somehow he had tangled one hand back in Scorpius’ robes without him noticing, so Scorpius was dragged along with him. Scorpius settled against the wall next to Albus after checking to make sure that his discarded wand, still glowing from the floor, was within arms reach should he need it.

“Thank you,” Albus tugged lightly at his robes. “For being with me.”

“I’d never leave you Albus.” Scorpius replied, the words coming to him like second nature. “Especially not here.” Albus closed his eyes for a moment, scratching aimlessly at the stones with his other hand.

"Can we go home now?" 

“About that.” Scorpius felt positively dreadful knowing what he was about to say. “There’s a plan now. As it turns out, Severus Snape is alive in this world, and so are your Aunt and Uncle.” 

“Ron and Hermione?” Albus asked, eyes lighting up with a hopeful expression. “They’re alive?”

“Alive, but in hiding.” Scorpius confirmed. “They’re going to help us go home.”

“Let’s go, then.” Albus pushed himself off the wall with shaking arms. 

“Unfortunately we can’t leave yet.” Scorpius could barely stand the look of utter defeat that Albus gave him. “I-it’s not safe. They said something about increased security in the castle because of this ridiculous Ball and that it was too risky so we need to wait until after. And what’s worse is that they’re right. On my way down here I ran into two Death Eaters standing at the top of the stairs and I don’t know how we could get past them and -”

“Are you mad at me?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Scorpius’ train of thought skidded to a halt at the sound of Albus’ incredibly small voice.

“I’m so sorry, Scorpius.” Albus was looking resolutely at his knees, shoulders hunched up almost to his ears. “I know this is all my fault, and I understand why you’d be mad at me. _I’m_ mad at me. But please… Please I -”

“Albus, I’m not mad at you.” 

“I’m so sorry I dragged you into this. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault.”

“Alright hang on. First of all, this is not your fault.” Scorpius said firmly. “I can easily think of several people whose fault it is and you are none of them.”

“What’s worse is I deserve it.” Albus carried on as if Scorpius hadn’t even spoken. “I understand, I do. Just… please. I want to go home.” The awful realization of the meaning behind Albus’ words made Scorpius dizzy with nausea.

“A-Albus… Do you think I’m keeping you here on purpose?” Albus’ anguished look was all the confirmation Scorpius needed. “No… No no no, Albus, oh Merlin no.” Scorpius lurched forward, gently taking Albus’ face in his hands. “Listen to me. This isn’t your fault.”

“But - but -” Albus tried to look away, But Scorpius held him still. He needed to make sure Albus knew just how serious he was.

“Albus, listen. This isn’t your fault. You didn’t force me to go with you. I went with you because I wanted to. You’re my best friend and that hasn’t changed. Were you trying to resurrect Voldemort?” Even though Albus flinched back when he heard that name, Scorpius kept a gentle but firm grip on his face. “Were you?”

“No.” Albus breathed. “No, but -”

“You wanted to give a father back his son.” Scorpius ploughed on. “You didn’t know this would happen. This isn’t your fault. You don’t deserve any of this. You are a good person, Albus Potter, and I am going to get you home if it’s the last thing I do. It’s just going to take a little more time.”

They stared at each other for what felt like forever, Scorpius trying to communicate so much more than he had the words to say. Because how do you say I would kill anyone who’s hurt you with my bare hands if given the chance? I would burn this whole castle to the ground if it meant I could keep you safe? Seeing you in pain hurts me so deeply I feel physically sick? You're my best friend and I would never ever do anything to hurt you?

Instead, he brushed Albus' cheeks with his thumbs, leaned back and said, “You could do with something to drink, I believe.” Scorpius stretched over to grab the stone jug from the corner, pleased to find that it was filled to the brim with clear water. “Here.” Albus was barely able to hold on to the heavy jug but he managed, taking slow measured sips until he finally set it down. The pitcher had refilled itself, much to Scorpius’ relief. 

_One less thing to worry about._ Scorpius thought, very aware that he still had a very long list of things to worry about. He could tell that Albus was starting to tire, his eyes drooping shut before snapping wide open, looking around wildly before realizing that Scorpius was still sitting next to him.

“Hey Scorp, can we go yet?” Albus shifted slightly so that his head was resting against the wall almost like it was too heavy to keep holding up. Scorpius stared back in silent shock.

“Uh, um - you already asked me that.” 

“I did?”

“Yeah, just a few minutes ago. We had a whole conversation about it.” Scorpius felt something dark settle in the pit of his stomach. “Don’t you remember?”

“I don’t.” Albus looked at him in muted confusion. “I - I don’t.” There was a horrible silence as Albus stared off into space, seemingly trying to remember something. “What else have I forgotten?"

“I’m sure it’s alright.” Scorpius knew he was lying through his teeth, but he didn’t think Albus could take on any more stress right now. “You’re exhausted and you’ve been so sick and I’m sure this dreadful place isn’t helping any of that.” He felt the knot in his stomach ease ever so slightly when he saw Albus’ mouth twitch with a tiny smile. “Let’s be honest, I’m lucky I remember my own name here and I haven’t been through nearly as much as you have.” Albus sighed and leaned back against the wall, looking at Scorpius with such sad eyes.

“I’m glad for that.” He breathed. “I’m glad you’re not getting hurt.” 

“Al-”

“I mean it." Albus interrupted. "If you're safe, I'll be alright.” Scorpius couldn’t think of an adequate response to Albus' heavy confession. He just felt so lost and so overwhelmed and so in over his head that it almost felt like he was drowning. All he could do was just lean over and pull Albus closer, trying to communicate just how much he loved his best friend. 

_We're going to go home, I promise._ Scorpius thought fiercely as Albus melted against him with a relieved sigh _. I don't know how much more of this either of us can take._

“You should probably get some rest while the pain potion is still in your system.” Scorpius said softly when he noticed Albus’ breathing begin to slow. 

“Don’t want to.” Albus mumbled, trying to pick his head up and failing miserably.

“Why not?” Scorpius hesitated, almost afraid of all the possible answers that Albus could give. “Nightmares?” He shuddered, remembering the one he had been subject to earlier. He felt Albus shrug weakly.

“I mean, yeah?” Albus sighed. “Just don’t want to wake up alone again. That’s all.”

“Oh.” Scorpius felt dreadful guilt begin to settle deep in his stomach. He didn’t want to say that he hated waking up alone as well, because he was waking up in a bed while Albus was waking up in a cell. 

_You have no right to complain._ He berated himself sternly as Albus flopped into his lap with a small groan. _You’re a horrible person for even thinking you have it rough right now._ He gently ran his fingers through Albus’ hair, smoothing it off of his forehead with an absentminded gesture.

“I know I’ll be gone when you wake up.” Scorpius watched Albus slowly but surely lose his battle with his heavy eyes. “But know that I’ll be coming back every night until I can get you out. I promise you that.” 

“Stay?” Albus murmured, not even able to lift his head anymore.

“Until you fall asleep.” Scorpius confirmed. He wanted nothing more than to sit here for the rest of the night to make sure that Albus slept as comfortably as possible and that no one else came in, but realistically he knew deep down that he needed a good night’s rest himself or he was going to make a fatal mistake. And he needed to be on the top of his game if he was going to keep this Scorpion King charade up long enough to escape. 

So he sat there on the cold stones, listening to Albus’ breathing deepen and become slow and steady, a slight wheezing being the only thing out of place with the familiar sounds of his friend falling asleep. He allowed himself a few more moments of just being; listening to Albus’ breathing, feeling his heart beat steadily against him. Scorpius took in all these reminders that he was still alive, still surviving, and tucked them away in his head where he knew he could easily reach for them.

He didn't want to leave. Everything in him was screaming to stay, but his own exhaustion was making his head foggy and he knew he needed to sleep. So Scorpius once again found himself gently extracting himself from Albus' grip, heart breaking a little more as he did so. This time, however, it seemed like Albus was able to fall into a deep enough sleep to not react to Scorpius' absence. The only movement was the steady rise and fall of his chest and the faint trembling in his limbs that never seemed to completely go away.

Scorpius numbly dragged himself to his feet, bending down to retrieve his wand from the middle of the room. He cast a quick warming charm, worry twisting in his chest when it did nothing to calm Albus' tremors. _That’s not good._ Scorpius found himself unable to move, unable to focus hard enough to get his feet to start moving. _What if I just hide him in my room until after the Blood Ball?_ Scorpius thought weakly. _Maybe they wouldn’t even notice that he was gone._ But then Scorpius remembered the Death Eaters standing at the top of the stairs and he deflated with a sigh. With enormous effort, he forced himself to back out of the room and close the door behind him instead of rushing back to Albus like he so desperately wanted to. 

Scorpius had no idea what time it was, and really, did time matter anymore? 3:00am felt an awful lot like 3:00pm when you haven’t slept in almost 48 hours. He trudged up the stairs, immediately forgetting about the Death Eaters until a voice caused him to trip over his own feet with a halting gasp. 

“Feeling better?” Scorpius held perfectly still as the two men turned their attention to him, their metal masks holding him in place with their cold stare. “Were they pretty when they screamed?” He hated the almost hungry tone of voice that Lestrange spoke with, an involuntary shudder traveling up his spine.

“I didn’t hear any screaming.” Nott turned his terrifying masked face towards him. “What were you up to down there, Malfoy?”

“I don’t like my business being broadcast across the entire school.” Scorpius snapped, surprising himself with his harshness. “What I do isn’t anyone else’s concern.”

“Watch your mouth, boy.” Nott puffed up indignantly. “Don’t forget who you’re speaking to.”

_Believe me, I haven’t._ Scorpius could feel his weak mask crumbling, frustrated tears of exhaustion beginning to prick at his eyes. 

“Apologies.” He muttered, ducking his head in what he hoped looked like a submissive acknowledgement when in reality he just wanted to hide his watering eyes. “I’m just a bit tired. I’d like to get to bed now, if you don’t mind.” 

“That did the trick then?” Lestrange jerked his head back towards the stairs. “You weren’t down there as long as you usually are.” 

“Maybe we could pay a visit.” Nott’s voice slithered out of his mask. “Standing around here all night gets mighty boring.” Scorpius’ head snapped up, jaw dropping in horror.

_No - no wait what -_

“Run along then, little Scorpion.” Scorpius couldn’t move, eyes darting back and forth between the cloaked figures with a wild expression.

“Um - umm - you know, c-come to think of it, it was really rather boring down there tonight. You really wouldn’t -”

“Now, Malfoy.” Lestrange growled, taking a threatening step towards him. Scorpius almost reached for his wand. Almost. Instead he jerked backwards, bringing his hands up in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

_Can’t slip up. Can’t risk it. Can’t slip up._

He slid in between the two Death Eaters without another word and stumbled along down the corridor, not stopping until his feet finally carried him to his room in the Slytherin dorms. Scorpius could feel himself begin to shut down as he numbly pulled his shoes off and tossed them into the corner. The time turner was shoved under his pillow and both wands placed on the bedside table before he struggled out of his robes and all but collapsed into bed. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton as he curled around his pillow with a dry sob. Knowing there was a huge possibility that Albus was going to be visited by a pair of Death Eaters tonight was almost too much to take.

_You just have to make it through two more days of classes and this terrifying Ball thing, and then you can go home._ Scorpius buried his face into the green silk, muffling the tears he knew were coming. _Two more days. Two more days and you can get Albus home. You can do this. Just please, let me sleep tonight so I have the energy to keep this up. Because at this rate, I’m not going to make it._

_________________________________________________

For the first time since he had burst out of the lake, Albus clawed his way to consciousness feeling almost rested and hardly in any pain. There was still a dull ache deep in his joints and his head was throbbing, but he found that he had just enough energy to push himself off the ground and into a seated position. Although as soon as he righted himself, the room began to spin in nauseating swirls, the ground tilting dangerously under him. Albus pressed his shaking hands into his eyes with a weak groan, wincing when the movement pulled at the torn skin of his arm.

_Just breathe._ He thought as he allowed himself to adjust to the movement, really taking the time to take stock of his current condition. Something pulled uncomfortably along the right side of his ribcage when he breathed too deeply. His head ached just above his ear, the dull pain throbbing in time with his heart. His throat burned a bit when he swallowed, and his arm still hurt when he moved it too quickly; the wounds rubbing against the scratchy material of the new robes he was wearing. Albus picked at a loose thread hanging from the frayed cuff, humiliation bubbling uncomfortably in his hollow stomach.

_How did I get these?_ Albus racked his brain, desperately trying to come up with a memory of when he had changed, or who had changed him. Much to his distress, he found nothing, images and emotions slipping through his mind like sand through a sieve. _What else have I forgotten?_

"Damn." Albus winced at the sound of his raspy voice, sore throat protesting the use immediately. His mouth felt dry as sand and he tried to swallow unsuccessfully. A vague memory of water somewhere nearby floated to the surface of Albus' thoughts and he looked around the cell until his eyes landed on a jug in the corner. Flashes of dark hair and dark eyes that he couldn't quite place wove their way through his mind before he realized that he could actually just make out the edges of the room and the few things in it. It seemed that someone had left torches lit in the corridor outside because a faint flickering light was bleeding in from the inch under the door. Not being in pitch darkness was more of a relief than he could have imagined and Albus couldn't hold back a small sigh.

The pitcher was just out of his reach so Albus tried to push himself to his feet, desperate to move somewhere on his own without crawling. 

_I can do this._

At first, he feared his trembling limbs wouldn't cooperate, but after a lot of shifting and readjusting he managed to get his legs underneath him. 

_I can do this._

With a final exhale, Albus pushed off the ground with as much force as he could. He was anything but graceful, having to reach out and stabilize himself against the wall when he overbalanced, but with a staggering lurch Albus was finally standing. His legs felt like jello and his knees ached, but much to his delight, he was up. 

_Little victories_. 

Albus felt a small spark of joy as he took a tentative step forward. Immediately his legs buckled under him, sending him to the floor where he landed in a crumpled heap. The room was spinning dangerously and Albus pressed his forehead into the cold stone with a frustrated sound, nausea clenching his stomach in an iron grip. His hands were scraped up from where he had attempted to break his fall and his legs burned, the muscles twitching and seizing painfully.

_Pathetic._ Albus grimaced as he rubbed at his freshly battered knees, pain sparking through them like lightning. _Can’t even stand up on my own. I just wanted control over myself for a tiny moment, but I can’t manage something that simple anymore._ With a defeated sigh, Albus pushed himself backwards along the floor until his back was pressed into the corner next to the jug of water. He rested for a moment, unhappy with how much energy even that attempt at movement had taken, before reaching out and picking up the pitcher with shaking hands.

The water was cold and clean and Albus could have cried except he was so damn tired of crying. So he took a sip, and then another, and another.

And then he rested again, arms trembling too badly to hold up the jug any longer.

For the first time in who knows how long, Albus had a moment to breathe, so he leaned his head back against the wall and stretched his legs out in front of him. The downside of having a lucid moment to himself, unfortunately, meant that the last few days and what he had gone through had time to settle and bleed into his being like a poison. 

He was angry and scared, and angry that he was scared. He was so _damn_ tired of being scared, so frustrated with himself for becoming this terrified weak thing that he felt hot, bitter tears start to roll down his cheeks. This only served to make him even more upset at himself as the reality of his situation sunk in.

He had been ruthlessly tortured by not one, not two, but three truly evil witches and wizards that he had only read about in history books. _Bellatrix Lestrange._ Albus shuddered as he remembered her wild eyes and unhinged shrieking. He could still feel her fingers tightening around his neck, the mere memory of having his air cut off drawing a breathy little whine out of his bruised throat. And then there had been the knife. Against his better judgement, Albus rolled up his blood-stained sleeve to take a look at his incessantly throbbing arm. Now that there was light in the room, Albus could clearly see just how mangled it was. 

_That's going to scar._ Something twisted horribly in his chest. _That's going to scar and I'm never going to be able to forget._ He had been beaten, starved, choked, carved into, and had the cruciatus curse used on him more times than he could count. _Unforgivables at the ripe old age of fourteen._ Albus pulled his sleeve back down with unsteady fingers. _Don't people lose their minds from that curse? And doesn't dark magic always leave some kind of mark?_ Almost as if in response to that, the muscles in his arms and shoulders tightened in a sudden spasm and Albus grit his teeth against the pain. It seemed like the potion was wearing off.

What kind of world was this where kids were left to rot in the dungeons of Hogwarts, alone, scared, starving, and in pain? Albus' thoughts drifted to the only other people who knew what he was going through.

_That little girl… What was her name?_ He flinched at the memory of snapping bones and high pitched shrieks. _Tessa_ . _I wonder where she is now? Is she down here too?_ Her terrified face was seared into his head. _She's too young for this_ . _Hell. I'm too young for this._

Flashes of green and empty eyes invaded his thoughts as he remembered his time in Dark Arts class. Albus was used to the bullying, the name-calling, the occasional errant hex, but the pure hate and hostility he had felt from those students was terrifying. _They could have killed me._ Albus choked on a dry sob. _They could have killed me like they killed Elias._ The boy's dead eyes still haunted him. _I watched someone die._ He tried to stop the flood of memories from that class, but now that he started he couldn’t stop. 

The teaching of Unforgivable curses in class like they were just another standard spell; and especially practicing them on other students. The blindfolds and the chains, making them feel even more helpless than they already were. A professor, a Death Eater professor, laughing at their pain. Being tortured by Amycus Carrow himself. Scorpius being bullied and pressured into using Unforgivable curses. And Carrow taking the extra time to make sure he was sufficiently frightened, breathing awful threats into his ear and promising plans of revenge for something Albus had had nothing to do with. 

_That vile, hateful, bastard of a man._ Albus seethed. _I wish I had my wand because I’d like to hex him into oblivion._

His mind wandered to Scorpius, remembering his ashen face and terrified eyes as he was forced to take part in that class. God, he missed Scorpius so badly. He really and truly felt like a part of him was missing, an empty ache in his chest that didn’t go away. _What could he be up to right now?_ Albus winced as a particularly deep breath set his ribs on fire. _I’m sure he’s managing._ It appeared that Scorpius was some sort of icon in this world after all; the other students looking to him for approval and recognition. _Maybe he’s enjoying it here._ Albus thought with a derisive snort. _He’s let you go through hell alone down here for days. He’s probably making new friends anyway._ He was instantly disgusted with himself for that nasty thought, anger draining away and leaving behind such a crushing sorrow that he could barely breathe. 

_No! No, this isn’t Scorpius’ fault. How could I even think that?_ Albus let his head fall back with more force than necessary, the pain from his impact with the wall not nearly enough to distract from how appalled he was with himself. _Scorpius is doing everything he can to help you out of a situation that is entirely your fault. He didn't even want to do this in the first place, and now look at what you’ve done to him. Trapped him in a world where Voldemort rules. He’s suffering and it’s all your fault. I was stupid and careless and this is what I get._ Albus sniffled, being mindful of his aching ribs and other injuries as he wrapped his arms around himself in a weak attempt at providing some semblance of comfort. _Not that I deserve it._ He squeezed his right forearm lightly, letting the fiery pain remind him of that. 

He was so lost in his self-loathing that Albus didn’t hear the footsteps coming down the corridor until the door flew open with such ferocity that it smashed against the wall with an almighty bang. Albus flinched back and tucked his face into his arms immediately, heart leaping into his throat as he pulled his legs to his chest in a panic.

_Please no please no please no._

“Did you think I’d forget about you? No, I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to teach Potter’s boy how to scream.” Albus didn’t even need to look in order to recognize who had entered the cell, the horrible wheezing voice burned into his memory along with snapping bones, flashes of green, and Scorpius’ terrified eyes.

_Oh Merlin, help me._

Against his better judgement, Albus glanced up to see Amycus Carrow leering at him from the doorway, a similarly lumpy figure standing just behind him. “See, Alecto?” Amycus said, not taking his eyes off of Albus for a second. “Didn’t I tell you?” Albus fought the urge to bury his face back in his knees, ice-cold terror freezing in his chest as Alecto Carrow joined her brother in the cell.

“Just like his daddy.” She giggled as she rolled her wand between her fingers. “He’s even got a scar to match.” Alecto cocked her head to the side, a horrid grin stretching across her doughy face. “I wonder if he begs as nicely as daddy did.” At the mention of his Dad, Albus stiffened, feeling the blood drain from his face. “Because I heard that he begged for his life,” Alecto continued. “Begged like the dog he was. What I would have given to have seen that.” Albus hands had started to shake, but not from the ever-present muscle spasms. Something hot twisted in his chest and he found himself staring at Alecto with an unmoving glare.

_Don’t talk about my Dad like that. Don’t you dare._

“I told you I’d see you again, boy,” Amycus sneered. “I’m not through with you yet.” A faint buzzing had started in Albus’ ears and he uncurled himself ever so slightly as Amycus stepped further into the room.

“Didn’t realize we’d agreed on an audience,” Albus snapped as he stared daggers at Amycus. “Who’s the ugly old toad?” He knew full well who Alecto Carrow was, he’d seen her picture in books before, but now he was seeing red. 

“You little shit!” Alecto screeched as Amycus raised his wand.

“ _Crucio!_ ”

The pain was immediate, hitting him with enough force to knock him to the ground where he writhed in absolute agony. His joints were on fire, his blood was venom burning through his veins. His muscles were seizing with such brutal spasms that he was sure he was going to implode.

His throat felt like it was being shredded by shards of glass as he screamed, his ruined voice tearing out of him in uncontrollable wails. 

There was no relief; it just kept going on and on and on. It never got easier. It didn’t seem to matter how many times this horrific curse was used against him. It was torture in its purest form and there was no escaping it. Albus could feel his mind beginning to come apart at the seams because Amycus wasn’t lifting it, he wasn’t going to lift it and no no no oh god he wasn’t going to stop he wasn’t going to _stop pleasepleaseplease..._

It continued.

And continued. 

Finally, after what felt like years, the pain stopped with a sudden snap and Albus melted into the stones, dimly aware that he had bitten through his bottom lip sometime during his involuntary convulsing. This time, however, coming down from the torture was different. This time instead of the familiar terror that usually overwhelmed his senses, Albus felt anger begin to bubble deep in his stomach.

“She’s my sister and you will learn some respect, revolting Potter spawn!” Albus just spit out a mouthful of blood with a harsh laugh as he pushed himself up off the ground.

“So this is how siblings bond? No wonder I don’t get on with mine.” He knew he was running his mouth, and that he was in terrible danger by doing so. He just didn’t care. These people had taken everything from him; his freedom, his safety, his sanity, his dignity, his wand, his family, his best _fucking_ friend. And what did he have left? He was so bloody angry, and all he had left were words. 

_Maybe I_ _have_ _lost my mind._ Albus chuckled as Amycus sputtered, his face going a magnificent shade of puce. _I’ve definitely lost my mind, but I can’t take this humiliation anymore._

With a horrible cry, Amycus jabbed his wand viciously in Albus’ direction. There was a brilliant flash of white and Alecto cackled wildly. Albus heard his hand break before he felt it, the sickening crunch of bone shattering echoed throughout the room. But when he felt it. God. _Oh god._

He was so blinded by the white-hot pain that he didn’t register that Alecto had moved across the room to him until he felt the woman’s foul breath ghosting across his face. “My brother was right,” she whispered and Albus dragged his eyes up to stare at her with as much fury as he could muster. “You really are a pretty thing when you scream.”

Albus refused to react, shoving his revulsion down deep inside along with any humanity he had left. “Fuck you.” He then spit a glob of bloody saliva directly into her face, snarling at her through blood-stained teeth. “Fuck you and your inbred brother.” Albus barely flinched as Amycus roared from somewhere behind Alecto, the curse he cast slamming into Albus’ chest with enough force to knock the air out of his lungs. “Ha,” he gasped, self-preservation long gone. “Even Jenkins hits harder than that.”

Quick as a snake, Alecto lunged forward and tangled a hand in his hair, dragging him to his feet and jerking his head back, earning an involuntary gasp of pain. The last person that had their hands in his hair had been Scorpius, smoothing and comforting, helping him fall asleep in this absolute hell hole. The memory made his throat close up.

“You mouthy brat! You know what we do to undesirables like yourself?” Albus didn’t answer, didn’t need to. He’d been in this world long enough to already know the answer to her question. He let out a pained yelp when he felt the tip of her wand dig in underneath his chin. “No? No smart answer to that? Well you wait and see.” Alecto said, a feral grin twisting her face into a terrifying expression. With an unfamiliar incantation and complicated wand movement, Amycus nodded in agreement as chains dropped from the ceiling of the cell. Albus’ furious thoughts ground to a halt, all anger draining away at the sight of the dangling manacles. Somehow the thought of being restrained in the presence of these two sociopaths scared him more than any spell used against him so far. 

_Oh god, what are they planning?_

“Not so confident now, are you Potter?” Amycus whispered in his ear as Alecto yanked his head back even further. Albus’ legs were shaking so badly that he could barely stand, the brutal grip on his hair bringing tears of pain to his eyes.

“No clever response?” Alecto smirked, toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. Albus kept his mouth firmly shut, that dreadful icy coldness returning to settle in his chest.

“That’s what I thought.” Amycus leaned over so that he was staring into Albus’ eyes. “You gonna behave now?” He asked. “Gonna keep that smart mouth shut?” Albus nodded as best he could.

_It’s not worth it. Just take it, whatever they have planned. Stop being foolish._

“Good.” Amycus patted Albus’ cheek in a mocking semblance of comfort before grabbing his right arm, blunt fingers digging into the open wounds left by Bellatrix. Albus screeched, an awful inhuman sound, as he fought as hard as he could to pull away, but with Alecto still gripping his hair he couldn’t budge. 

“Wait wait, no no no. Let me go, let me GO.” _It hurts it hurts it hurts._

Amycus didn’t relent and Albus felt his mind begin to unravel as his right wrist was shoved into one of the cuffs and locked tight, the cold metal biting into his already shredded skin. 

_No no no, I can’t - I said I wouldn’t - why? Please someone help me._ Albus panicked and brought his knee forward in a clumsy jab that miraculously connected with Amycus’ gut. He frantically twisted aside, desperate to get away, to hide, to not see those chains hanging from the ceiling. His chest burned. He wasn’t getting enough oxygen as he came apart, struggling against Alecto’s hold on him. 

“Please…” he choked, bringing up his free hand to claw at her wrist. Alecto’s grip was too strong and Amycus had already recovered from his clumsy attack, eyes burning with unbridled rage. They were too fast and too strong for him, especially considering the state he was in. 

“Be quiet.” Amycus snarled, closing the other manacle around his left wrist much tighter than necessary. Now Albus was truly trapped, stuck in the middle of the room with his hands cuffed in front of him and Alecto’s hand in his hair. He stood there, shaking and attempting to breathe through the pain radiating from his hand and forearm, trying to take himself anywhere but here.

Alecto finally let go of his hair, taking a step back to be alongside her brother, both of them wearing similar sadistic expressions and Albus felt a small spark of desperate anger ignite at their obvious enjoyment of his torture.

“Cowards.” Albus lashed out, fear clouding what little judgement he had left. “Big strong Death Eaters have to tie me up to -” He was silenced by the tip of Amycus’ wand hovering less than a foot from his face.

“How short should we make his leash, Alecto? Hmm?” Amycus tilted his head to the side like a dog. “How about here?” Albus didn’t have time to react before the chain retracted into the ceiling, yanking his hands above his head with a brutal jerk. A strangled moan clawed its way up his throat as his arms screamed in protest, the thick cuffs biting into his wrists. He could barely breathe, unable to pull himself up to get any bit of air into his bloody lungs. 

_They’re going to kill me._

Albus choked as he tried to get even the smallest amount of air, vision going white when his struggling jostled the shattered bones in his hand. 

_Please...please…_

“Or maybe here?” He could barely hear Amycus’ voice through the fog that was beginning to build in his head. Albus dropped down towards the ground, barely able to balance with just his toes now touching the floor. At least now he was able to take some of the strain off of his arms, his entire body weight no longer supported by them. “You know, once your fragile little legs give out, it’ll be just as bad as up there, only you’ll know you did it to yourself.” Amycus said as he kicked Albus’ legs from underneath him as if to prove his point.

Albus cried out as his shoulders were jarred and his broken hand ignited with white-hot agony, the cuffs biting into his aching wrists. He was unable to do anything about the tears escaping and trickling down his face. It took him an agonizingly long time to regain his footing, and neither sibling made a move to help him. "I hope you're comfortable." Alecto purred, lightly trailing her fingers down the side of his face and along his jaw before pulling back and slapping him with as much force as she could. Albus stumbled, tipping his head so that his face was pressed to the inside of his uninjured arm, eyes squeezed tightly shut like he could ignore what was happening. "Because you're going to be here for quite some time."

"Headmistress wants you ready for the Blood Ball." Amycus clarified, tapping his wand against his palm in an aggressive manner. "Such a lucky little shit. You'll be the only mudblood allowed in." Albus felt like he was going to throw up, his shoulders already cramping terribly from the position they were being held in.

_Albus Potter, there's not a hole he can't dig himself into…_

"What do you have to say to that, boy?' Alecto prodded at his ribs with the tip of her wand.

“Well, I suppose I'll be needing fancier dress robes then." Albus murmured as he glanced at her with tired eyes, feeling his mind slowly start to go dim and fuzzy around the edges. He faintly registered Amycus screaming in anger, could barely see Alecto as she raised her wand towards him. He thinks she's yelling, but he's already floating ten feet above, strangely numb and detached. With a shuddering sigh, Albus closed his eyes and let himself drift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to the NY, SF and Hamburg fans <3


	8. Chapter 8

Scorpius barely remembered falling asleep, his overworked mind simply giving up and shutting down sometime during the night. He could feel deep indentations from the wrinkles in his sheets along the side of his face and he stretched with a grimace, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he uncurled from around his pillow and rolled onto his back. He had no idea what time it was, the sunlight streaming through the windows giving no other indication besides the fact that it was daytime.

_ At least I didn’t have any nightmares last night.  _

Scorpius groaned and stretched out his stiff limbs before untangling himself from the sheets, noticing the same lines from the folded fabric running down his arms and legs. It was pretty clear that he hadn’t been moving in his sleep. He stumbled to his feet with a groan, wincing as his one leg tingled with pins and needles when he attempted to stand on it.

_ Not moving very much at all. _ Scorpius sighed as he tried to rub some feeling back into his numb muscles.  _ That’s a bit concerning. _ What concerned more, however, was that as he started to shuffle his way around the room, retrieving his discarded shoes and a fresh set of robes, he found his eyes drifting shut and he had to fight back a huge yawn.  _ How can I still be so tired?  _ The last time he had felt this constantly exhausted was when his mother died, and that wasn’t a time he liked to remember.

The temptation to simply collapse back into bed and ignore all responsibilities for the day was so strong that Scorpius nearly flung his shoes back into the corner until his stomach gave a particularly loud grumble, reminding him that he was in fact quite hungry and food was something he should prioritize. 

_ I can do this. _ He took a moment to center himself, remembering where he was and what was expected of him, and what was at stake if he slipped up. Almost without thinking, he reached out and picked up Albus’ wand, the small burst of warmth still managing to make him smile.  _ Soon.  _ He promised, rubbing his thumb along the knotted handle absently.  _ We’ll be back with him soon.  _

A sudden knocking at his door caused Scorpius to jump so badly that he knocked his knee against the bedframe with a sharp crack. “Y-yes?” He stammered, rubbing at his now throbbing leg and scrambling to shove Albus’ wand into his pocket.

“Malfoy, you alright in there?” Yann’s voice drifted through the thick wood. “It’s near lunchtime and we haven’t seen you all day.”

“I didn’t realize I had to update you every time I decided to skip class,” Scorpius responded as he grabbed the time turner from under his pillow followed by his own wand before quickly checking himself in the mirror, completely unimpressed with the reflection that stared back at him. His eyes were dull and deeply shadowed, dark smudge-like bruises making him look even more pale than usual. He knew he had inherited his father’s high cheekbones and pointed chin, but now he just looked gaunt. And exhausted.

“You’re absolutely right, sorry,” came Yann’s hasty reply. “It’s just that people were beginning to ask…” With a final sigh, Scorpius schooled his expression and yanked the door open, fixing Yann with a bored scowl.

“You were saying something about lunch?”

The rest of the day passed in a detached blur, mind wandering away from everything but the ominous ball he was expected to attend, his ability to keep up his act for two more days, and how Albus was holding up. He had looked at least slightly better when Scorpius had last seen him, but that wasn’t enough to loosen the dread that had his stomach in knots. 

_ What if those two Death Eaters had followed through on their word? Did they hurt him? Merlin, is he still alive? _

Having a plan to get home and set things right, and having allies to help him was just enough to keep him from drowning in mind-numbing despair, enough to keep his thoughts sharp enough to not slip up. But the new concern of keeping Albus alive long enough to make it home was distressing, to say the least. So thanks to his overwhelming sense of responsibility and the constant fear that Albus could die at any moment, every little inconvenience had Scorpius ready to explode. Classes were almost unbearable. Every word out of the professors’ mouths was like nails on a blackboard and Scorpius could hardly contain his desperate need to scream his frustrations. Each second that passed was a second closer to this day being over and being another day closer to getting home. He was almost grateful that no one expected him to participate in class in this world because there was no way he was focused on anything that was being taught.

He had hoped that he would’ve been able to slip away at dinner, maybe grabbing some sandwiches or pasties or something before retreating to his room, retrieving the pain potion he had hidden under his mattress before going down to check on Albus. unfortunately, the minute he tried to slip out of his last class, Polly Chapman sidled up beside him and grabbed a hold of his elbow in a grip so fierce that he had to hold back a wince.

“Yes, Polly?” he squeaked as she steered him out of the room and down the corridor, Yann and Karl falling in behind them. “Do you need something?”

“I’m just walking you to dinner,” Polly tossed her curls over her shoulder.

“Oh, um, I wasn’t actually planning on going to dinner tonight because I’m not really that hungry and -”

“Yes you are,” Polly interrupted matter-of-factly, not relaxing her grip in the slightest.

“Erm, but I -”

“And I won’t be taking no for an answer.” 

So Scorpius found himself sitting through another meal with Karl, Yann, Polly, and her insufferable friends, anxiously ripping a roll to shreds in order to still his shaking hands while trying to nod along with their inane conversation. 

“Did you see Bowker in Potions class today?” Karl was laughing. “I swear he doesn’t know one end of a cauldron from another.”

“I know what you mean,” Polly agreed. “It’s a wonder the Headmistress hasn’t done something about him yet.” Scorpius ducked his head, choosing to focus on sliding a sandwich in his pocket for later rather than listen to the increasingly awful borderline threats against Craig. 

_ Is this how it starts? _ He wondered, a sick feeling settling in his stomach.  _ A few people take the bullying just a bit too far and suddenly you’re locked in the dungeons being used as practice for Unforgivables? _

“Scorpius?” He jolted at the sound of his name, dragging his focus back to the present conversation. The table was looking at him with varying levels of concern and Polly was leaning much too far into his space.

“Sorry, what?”

“I said, what do you think we should do about Bowker’s increasing incompetence?” Polly spoke slowly, mouth curled into a dangerous grin.

_ Do about… do about Craig? Is she implying… _

“I think he just looked tired today, that’s all,” Scorpius shrugged Polly’s hand off of his shoulder. “Merlin knows I’ve had him up at all hours doing my Potions homework.” With that, he pushed himself to his feet. “In fact, thank you for reminding me that I’ve got an essay due tomorrow. I’d better go and make sure that he’s got it ready.” And without waiting for a response, Scorpius turned on his heel and made his way out of the Great Hall, making a mental note to warn Craig to stay away from Karl, Yann, and Polly if he could. He made it to his room in record time, snagging the incredibly important blue potion from under his mattress before taking a calming breath and heading towards the deeper dungeons.

_ There’s enough potion left in here for at least 3 more days _ . Scorpius touched the bottle through his pocket, reassuring himself that it was still there.  _ And I’m only going to need it for two, so I should be alright.  _

Scorpius wasn’t surprised to find the staircase guarded by two cloaked individuals, but he faltered a bit when he didn’t recognize them. The one figure was tall, slender and more feminine than her partner who was broad-shouldered and stocky. 

“Pardon me,” He said in the haughtiest voice he could muster. “I need to get past.”

“Certainly your father raised you to have better manners than that, little Scorpion,” The woman hummed, her silver mask glinting in the torchlight. 

“Apologies,” Scorpius nodded stiffly in her direction, the hair on the back of his neck prickling uncomfortably. “May I please pass? I’ve got business I need to attend to.”

“Better,” The woman seemed pleased but didn’t move. Her partner remained silent, the empty eye sockets of his mask boring into Scorpius with frightening attention. 

“So…” He inched a little closer to the pair, waiting for them to step aside.

“Sorry, little Scorpion, but no one’s allowed down there tonight,” The woman sighed. 

“Why not?” Scorpius snapped irritably, panic beginning to settle heavily in his chest.

_ I told Albus I would be back. He needs the pain potion. He’ll think I abandoned him here. No no no no. _

“Headmistress’ orders,” The man finally spoke up, his voice deep and booming. “All prisoners are to remain untouched until after the Blood Ball.” Scorpius felt the blood drain from his face and he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat.

“What do you mean?” He tried to keep his face neutral, tried with increasing difficulty to shove his panic down where no one could see it.

“What a disappointment,” The woman leaned back against the wall with an arrogant tilt to her head. “Such potential, such a strong bloodline, and you’re still so very dimwitted sometimes. Astoria would be ashamed.” Scorpius’ thoughts ground to a halt at the mention of his mother, unable to keep his mouth from dropping open in shock.

“I - I’m sorry?” He stammered. “I don’t…”

_ Mum. How does she know Mum? Who is this? _

“I thought your stock was supposed to be clever, Greengrass,” The man rumbled, a hint of amusement coloring his low voice. “But it appears that the lights are on and nobody’s home.” The insult barely phased Scorpius, his thoughts racing too frantically to be truly offended.

_ Greengrass… Greengrass. No… no this couldn’t be…  _

He struggled to school his expression into what he hoped was an aloof grin. “What can I say? School bores me.” He watched as the woman stared at him, her partner joining her against the wall.

_ I know Mum had a sister that I never met. _ Scorpius stared frantically at the woman, trying uselessly to recognize anything through the heavy robes and silver mask. _ But I’ve never met her. Is this why? Was she a Death Eater in my timeline as well? _

“We know about your obsession with the Potter boy,” The man said suddenly, causing Scorpius to draw in a sharp breath. “Taking after your father there, wouldn’t you say?”

“He screams the nicest,” Scorpius forced out, gagging slightly as bile bubbled up his throat. “Besides, I found him. Finders keepers.”

“Be that as it may,” The woman drawled. “The Headmistress specifically asked that one not be touched until after the Blood Ball. We weren’t told any more than that.”

“But surely you can make an exception?” Scorpius tried desperation pushing him further than he knew he should.

_ What are they going to do? Why didn’t I get him out sooner? _

“Goodbye, baby Scorpion,” The woman wiggled her fingers at him with a condescending wave. “Save it for after the Ball.”

“If there’s anything left of him,” the man added, almost like an afterthought. Scorpius felt the blood drain from his face as he stared. 

_ They wouldn’t… they wouldn’t…  _ Scorpius’ eyes darted back and forth between the two Death Eaters, weighing the odds of getting past them.  _ I have to try. _ Scorpius felt his fingers twitching, eager to reach for his wand and blast these vile human beings out of his way.  _ I… I… _

“Is everything alright here?” Scorpius spun around, all previous thought lost as he turned to see Professor Snape walking towards him. “Ah, there you are, Mr. Malfoy. Do you realize that you are now very late for your meeting with the Headmistress?” 

“Erm, no,” Scorpius took a step back as Snape stopped in front of him. “I wasn’t aware of any meetings.”

“Then you’re quite fortunate I found you,” Snape’s cold voice set Scorpius’ teeth on edge and he found himself getting the smallest bit annoyed. He could feel the Death Eater’s curious eyes burning holes into his back as he tried to wordlessly scream at Snape.

_ What are you playing at? _ He desperately stared at the professor, needing him to understand.  _ I’m trying to help Albus. These people are going to hurt him again. Why aren’t you helping me? _

“This way, Malfoy,” Snape swept his arm in the direction of Umbridge’s office. “You know how she feels about being kept waiting.” 

“But, professor -”

“Now, boy. Don’t make me ask you again.” Seeing no other option, Scorpius let out a frustrated huff and stalked off in the direction Snape was pointing, helpless anger churning in his stomach.

_ What could that toad possibly want with me now?  _ Scorpius’ mind raced as he thought back on his day.  _ Did I slip up? Does someone suspect me? _ He grew cold when he remembered the conversation about Craig.  _ Are things about to get much much worse?  _ Scorpius was so lost in his spiraling thoughts that he didn’t hear someone coming up behind him until he felt a firm hand on his elbow.

“This way,” Scorpius whirled around and nearly whacked Snape in the face as he cried out in alarm.

“Bloody hell!” He yanked his arm away, staring at Snape in horrid shock. “What are you -”

“Not here, Malfoy,” Snape hissed. “My office. Now.” Scorpius watched as Snape swept down the corridor, his black robes billowing behind him like some sort of large bat. He could feel his breath quickening as he numbly followed behind, but this time it wasn’t from fear. Scorpius almost found the anger refreshing as he neared the Potions class.

_ I’m going to lose my damn mind if I have to keep playing this game for much longer. _ Snape was waiting at the door for him, and Scorpius didn’t feel in the least bit sorry when he bumped him with his shoulder on the way in.

“What are you doing?” Scorpius shouted the moment Snape closed the door behind him.

“Keeping you from making a very foolish mistake,” Snape drawled calmly, which only served to anger Scorpius further. 

“What were they going on about?” Scorpius spit out. “What is going to happen to Albus at that ball?”

“Something horrible, I’m sure,” Snape had walked past him and was now picking up a piece of chalk from under the blackboard. “As to the precise details, I haven’t the foggiest.” Scorpius watched in numb horror as Snape began working on an unfinished equation, seemingly done with the conversation.

“Did you know?” Scorpius stalked forward, a horrible sensation settling in his stomach. “Did you know about this before we made our plan?” 

“I had my suspicions, but I didn’t know anything for sure.” Snape’s level tone had Scorpius seeing red and he grabbed at the edge of a desk to steady himself, knuckles white against the dark wood. “However, I stand by what I said. It was far too dangerous to try and move him with Death Eaters swarming the school.”

“But-”

“He’ll survive Scorpius,” Snape scrawled something unintelligible on the board. “If they haven’t killed him yet, they’re not going to any time soon.”

“How can you say that?” Scorpius could barely speak past the lump in his throat. 

“Because I know these people,” Snape sighed. “I know how they think. You forget that I’ve been living with them for over twenty years. Albus will be alright. Now, try to curb your sudden uptick in irrational behavior for at least two more days.” 

“Shut up!” Scorpius exploded. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” He couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t take one more adult treating Albus like he was worth anything less than he was.

“Mr. Malfoy -”

“You don’t give two shits about Albus!” Scorpius screamed. “So don’t stand there working on your bloody equations, pretending like you care!” He grabbed the closest thing to him, which turned out to be a set of scales, and he flung them across the room, the clattering crash of metal on the stone floor ringing in his ears. Snape didn’t even flinch, which only served to make Scorpius even angrier. “You don’t understand! He’s all I have!”

“I understand perfectly, boy,” Snape finally turned to face him, his eyes cold and tired. “But I need you to understand that sometimes good people have to suffer in order to save many.”

Scorpius stared at Snape with as much venom as he could muster before turning on his heel and practically running out of the classroom.

“Go straight to your dorm, Malfoy!” Snape’s voice echoed behind him as he ran, anger and frustration bubbling hotly in his stomach.

_ I am the weakest most pathetic friend.  _ Scorpius shoved his way into the common room, blowing past the few students lounging around the dying fire.  _ He’s going to die and it’s all my fault.  _ He pushed his door open with a hard shove, making sure it locked behind him before collapsing into bed.  _ I’m sorry Albus. I’m so so sorry.  _ He was getting so bloody tired of crying himself to sleep every night, but once he started thinking about all the possible things that could happen at the Blood Ball tomorrow, he couldn’t stop the tears until he had cried himself into a deep and needed sleep.

Scorpius didn’t budge the next morning, he didn’t have the strength to. Unlike the previous night, his sleep had been plagued with awful nightmares. The cold feeling of the dementor digging in his head, his mother’s tombstone, a ghastly skeletal hand bursting out of it. A flash of green and the light leaving a student’s eyes, Albus’ eyes hazy with pain and fever, his hoarse and cracking voice stuttering through a strange muggle song. Blood everywhere… on the walls… on the floor underneath Albus’ head, and then just screaming… awful helpless screaming. 

He felt sluggish and tired like he was stuck inside a drowsy fog that muffled his brain like cotton. It felt like there was a heavy cold blanket wrapped around his chest, constricting his breathing and numbing his senses. He couldn’t even bring himself to answer the door when someone started pounding on it, choosing instead to roll onto his stomach and stuff his head under his pillow. 

“Hey, Scorpius! It’s time for lunch, you coming?” Karl continued to knock at the door until Scorpius blindly reached out, grabbed the inkwell off of his bedside table and flung it at the door where it exploded in a shower of glass and ink. Thankfully Karl seemed to get the message because the pounding stopped. “Alright, alright no need to get testy. Just making sure you were conscious. See you at the ball tonight, then!”

Scorpius let out a frustrated groan. The Blood Ball was tonight. He needed to take Polly Chapman to a ball tonight. He needed to surround himself with Death Eaters and their followers tonight. He felt the breath catch in his chest. He had to watch them do something horrible to Albus tonight. 

_ If I’m going to be able to do today, I’m not leaving this room until I absolutely have to. _

So he spent the afternoon holed up in his room, passing the time by levitating shards of glass from the shattered inkwell one by one and racing them around the room before he exploded them over the bin. He practiced his newly learned  _ homenum revelio _ spell to keep tabs on whoever tried to come near his door. And then when his mind couldn’t handle it anymore, he stared up at the ceiling and went over every little detail of their plan of escape.

_ Go to the Blood Ball with Polly Chapman. _ Scorpius grit his teeth.  _ Make sure you don’t slip up. She needs to believe that you’re the real Scorpion King.  _ Panicked tears pricked at the corners of his eyes when he remembered just how hard not slipping up was going to be.  _ Be there for Albus, no matter what they do to him tonight. His survival rests on whether you can hold it together or not.  _

A humorless laugh bubbled out of his throat as he wiped at his eyes.  _ So no pressure there. Alright. Wait until the Death Eaters clear out, which should be sometime tomorrow according to Professor Snape. Then as soon as curfew goes into place, get down to the dungeons, get past the dementor,  _ He swallowed past the lump in his throat.  _ Hope that Albus can still move on his own. Get back past the dementor, this time with an escaped prisoner, go to Professor Snape without getting caught. Meet up with Ron and Hermione to turn back time not once, but twice, and then cross our fingers that it all works out. _

Scorpius almost laughed at how unrealistic over half of this plan sounded in his head, small hysterical sounds catching in his chest. So much depended on probability and chance, and Scorpius wanted to cry at how much his best friend's life was relying on luck. 

_ But we’ve got a chance.  _ A small voice in his head comforted.  _ And that’s all you can hope for right now. A chance. _

Scorpius was pulled from his thoughts by a sudden stab of pain from his perpetually hollow stomach. “Oh, so now you decide that you’d like something?” Scorpius grumbled into his pillow. “Why couldn’t you have wanted to eat when we were in the Great Hall surrounded by food?” Almost as if to mock him, his stomach let out an obscenely loud growl and Scorpius flopped over onto his back with a huff. “Well I can’t do anything about it now because I am not leaving this room until I absolutely have to, you know that.” 

_ But you’re also not going to function very well on an empty stomach,  _ a little voice said.  _ You know how grumpy you get when you miss a meal. _

“I’m well aware,” Scorpius started, fully conscious of the fact that he was having an argument with himself. “But I’m not putting myself through another meal with those people. And you know that I just can’t conjure food out of just anywhere, no one can. Food is the first of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration and -”

_ Geek, _ Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut when he heard Albus’ laughing voice, teasing him in his head.  _ Massive geek. _

_ Thanks, Albus,  _ Scorpius smiled thinly.  _ Making me smile even when you’re not actually here _ . It was then, when his thoughts were full of his best friend, that he remembered the sandwiches he had stuffed in his pockets. So Scorpius sat there, slowly but surely picking at the sandwiches he had hidden until there was only one left.

_ That’s for Albus.  _ Scorpius firmly placed it back in his pocket even as his stomach protested. 

“Oh do be quiet,” he snapped. “He needs it much more than we do.”

_ In fact, Albus should have eaten all of those. _ Scorpius felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he stared at the empty sandwich wrappers. _ I’ll bring him so many more when I see him again. _

He could have very easily sat there on his bed for the rest of the day, staring at nothing in particular and trying to fight back the constant nausea that had been a part of him ever since he had crawled out of the lake. But soon the sun began to set and Scorpius knew that it must be very near to seven o’clock and he’d better get a move on or risk appearing suspicious. So, with an enormous sigh, Scorpius dragged himself to his feet and pushed his trunk open in search of something that the Scorpion King would be expected to wear to a ball.

_ Black… black… black... for Merlin’s sake do I own anything that isn’t black?  _ He grew more and more annoyed with every article of clothing that he threw out of the trunk, the floor around him littered with discarded robes and jackets, socks and cloaks.  _ This is just ridiculous.  _ Finally, after digging all the way to the bottom, he found a set of evergreen robes that were decidedly more fancy than the rest, the edges embroidered with curving silver snakes.  _ I suppose it’s these, then. _

Scorpius changed quickly, feeling very lonely as he did so.  _ This isn’t something I should be doing alone, _ he looked around his single room with a sigh.  _ I should be in my dorm with all the other boys in my year, feeling a little ridiculous and maybe a bit self-conscious about getting all dressed up. _ Scorpius almost smiled at the thought of Albus grumping around the room, fiddling with the cuffs of his robes, trying to get his hair to look less like his fathers.  _ Would either of us have found someone to go with?  _ Scorpius wondered, surveying himself in the mirror briefly to make sure that he was at least presentable.  _ Or more realistically, we probably wouldn’t have gone at all.  _ Scorpius could practically hear Albus muttering about how it was just going to be a big room full of Hogwarts students, loud noises, and that he wanted nothing to do with either, thank you very much.

_ Well, I suppose I can’t put this off any longer, can I. _

Scorpius tucked both wands and the time turner into his pockets, took one final shaky breath, and set off towards the common room, trying to appear as lofty and distant as he could. He hadn’t seen this many people packed into the common room since he had arrived in this world, their different color robes making the space look smaller and more cramped. And as much as Scorpius wanted to think there was a variety of colors as opposed to the usual sea of black, his fellow students’ choice in dress robes were still so dark and muted that he probably would’ve burst into overjoyed tears if he saw even a hint of yellow.

“I got tired of waiting in the entrance hall,” Scorpius flinched, not having seen Polly sidle up next to him until she had grabbed a hold of his hand. “So I decided to come and find you. You certainly know how to arrive fashionably late.” Scorpius could barely nod in agreement, the reality of his situation slowly sinking in. Polly was dressed in deep red robes, her hair pulled back into an intricately braided updo, and eyes smudged with deep blacks and silvers. She looked terrifying and Scorpius had to force himself to hold her gaze.

“You - um - you look… nice,” he stammered.

“Oh I know,” she said with a feral grin. “But thank you for saying so. Yann and Karl are waiting for us in the entrance hall,” she began to steer him out of the common room. “They were getting a bit impatient as well, and I think they wanted some time with Emma and Maggie if you know what I mean.” Scorpius hadn’t the foggiest idea what Polly meant as he let her lead him, wishing that he could just stay in the common room instead of venturing out to see what the school had become. 

Unfortunately, the entrance hall was just as crowded as the common room. Students were milling about and laughing with each other, all waiting for the moment the doors to the Great Hall would open. The size of the crowd was making Scorpius nervous, but he didn’t feel truly anxious until he caught sight of the figures that were standing in the shadows along the outskirts of the hall. 

_ Death Eaters…  _ Scorpius could feel himself go cold as he took in their eerie silver masks and heavy dark cloaks. _There are_ _ so many of them.  _

This time, Scorpius noticed Yann and Karl approaching him, both wearing severe black robes and accompanied by two girls that he only vaguely recognized. “There you are, Scorpion King!” Yann chuckled, slapping Scorpius on the back. “Thought you were going to stand us up.”

“Fat chance,” Karl wrapped his arm around his date’s waist. “The Scorpion King missing out on tonight’s entertainment?” Scorpius jerked, staring at Karl with wide eyes.

“Yes, about that,” he breathed, wishing his voice was stronger. “Do you know what’s happening?”

“Haven’t the foggiest,” Karl shrugged. “But if it’s anything like last year, we’re in for a bloody good time.”

“W-what happened last year?” Scorpius took Polly’s hand to disguise the fact that his were shaking. Yann stared at him with a strange look.

“They showed us the extent of the Cruciatus Curse, remember?” 

“Sorry?” Scorpius spoke without thinking.

“They caught one of those Dumbledore rebels and decided to see how long he could last,” Yann looked truly confused. “Bloody Irish bastard, right?”

“R-right,” Scorpius was beginning to feel sick. “Of course, right. Sorry.”

“What a late night that was,” Polly sighed, resting her head against Scorpius’ shoulder. “Sometimes I can still hear his screams.” She was staring off into the distance, a dreamy light in her eyes. “That traitor lasted almost three hours. I can’t wait to see how they top that.”

_ Please no please no please no. _

The big oak doors opened with an ominous creak, and Scorpius wanted to turn and run, to leave this behind and not think about what awaited him on the other side. 

_ But I need to be there for Albus. I need to keep him alive, no matter what. _

So he squared his shoulders and tightened his grip on Polly’s hand. “Lead the way, Polly.”

_________________________________________________

  
  


The human body, Albus had discovered, was not meant to hang by the wrists for an extended period of time. He couldn’t breathe unless he held himself up with his rapidly weakening legs, toes still just able to touch the ground. This meant that his exhaustion was particularly concerning because every time he drifted off and allowed himself to hang limply, he lost his limited ability to breathe. Fortunately, he came to after not too long, jolting awake with horrible gasping breaths as his body tried desperately to survive.

And breathing, unfortunately, wasn’t his only problem, although it was made even more difficult by the fact that his nose was definitely broken. The Carrows had done a number on his already ruined body, the shattering of his hand just a precursor to a nauseating blur of pain and crying and insults and terror. He was almost too afraid to check in with himself once the Carrows had left, too scared to know how bad it was.

_ How long are they going to leave me here? _ Albus wondered listlessly, shuffling his bare feet against the stones in an attempt to redistribute his weight and give his screaming shoulders a break.  _ How long has it already been?  _

He let his mind wander to anything that could distract him from this hell, and he almost cried when he immediately thought of his family. Uncle Ron and Uncle George helping his cousins Fred and Dominique set off fireworks after Christmas dinner last year at his grandparents. Oh Merlin, his grandparents with their overgrown garden and stories about his parents when they were little. Teddy’s mischievous grin as he rapidly changed his hair color at family dinners just to make Albus laugh. He thought about watching Mum play Quidditch, the exhilaration of seeing her score goal after goal sparking something warm in his chest. He could hear Lily’s bright laughter as she successfully balanced every teacup in the house on top of their sleeping father’s chest without waking him up. He could almost feel James’ fierce hugs, see his warm eyes sparkling as he poked fun at him. 

_ I’m sorry we’re not like that anymore, Jamie. _ Albus thought morosely.  _ I don’t know how to fix it either. _

And then he found himself thinking about Dad. Just… Dad and how badly he wished that things between them could go back to the way they were before his first year at Hogwarts.

_ And now I’m probably not going to get the chance to try. _

It could have been minutes or hours later, seeing as Albus’ concept of time was shot, when the door to his cell creaked open and four masked figures drifted in like shadows come to life. Unable to do anything more than stare, Albus took in the intricately carved silver masks and the heavy black hoods before he was unable to hold his head up any longer and let himself droop, chin touching his sternum in a defeated slump. He knew what those uniforms meant. 

“You look like you’ve had a hard day,” one of them barely suppressed a snicker as they reached forward and grabbed his chin, lifting it until they were eye to eye. 

“A few hard days,” another one smirked as they circled behind Albus, the tip of his wand trailing along his back as he passed. Albus couldn’t suppress a small whine as the remaining Death Eaters closed in, the feeling of claustrophobia causing his throat to close up in panic. “I hope he’s ready for the celebration.”

_ I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go home. _

“Please,” he breathed, hating how weak and pathetic his voice sounded. “I -” He was cut off when the man holding his face suddenly released him with a snarl and swung his hand back in for a harsh slap, but Albus was too numb to even react. He stumbled a bit but remained standing, head rolling to the side and eyes drifting shut. Maybe he could drift away like he had last time.

“You don’t dare to speak to me, boy,” the Death Eater snapped. “Understand?” When Albus didn’t answer, the Death Eater behind him jabbed his wand into Albus’ ribs, causing him to gasp and jolt upright. He nodded weakly, which seemed to appease the figure in front of him until they stepped back and raised their wand. Albus flinched away, his limited breath catching in his chest.

_ Please let it be over quickly. _

In an instant, his wrists were freed and he crumpled to the ground, unprepared for the sudden drop and unable to catch himself. The agony of suddenly having his arms freed after being strained upwards for so long ripped through him like wildfire and he  _ screamed  _ as his muscles twitched and seized in protest. The Death Eaters laughed as he cowered on the floor, wishing that he could just sink into the stones and disappear. Constantly being afraid was exhausting. Wondering if you were about to die every time someone came into the cell was exhausting. Being this terrified, weak, broken thing was exhausting and Albus didn’t know if he was ever going to be able to be anything else.

_ I want to go home…  _

He choked on a whimper when the two Death Eaters who had yet to speak reached down and grabbed a hold of his forearms, dragging an agonized scream out of his raw throat as they pulled him to his feet.

“Merlin, you are pathetic,” the Death Eater in front of him muttered as he twirled his wand around. “ _ Fulgari. _ ” Albus winced as the familiar glowing cords bit into his already ruined skin and sent a wave of nauseating pain coursing through him. The room was spinning and he felt so lightheaded as he tried to take measured breaths, tried to gain some semblance of control over what was happening to him.

“Scared, Potter?” The figure in front of him grabbed at his face again, turning it harshly from side to side.

“Aw look, he’s crying,” the man that had been pressed up behind him came around and reached out to roughly wipe something off of his face. “You gonna cry for your daddy? Too bad daddy’s not here.” Albus could practically hear the man’s cruel smile from under his mask. 

“He really does look like that bloody traitor.”

“Disgusting messy creature, just like his father.”

“Nasty eyes like his mudblood grandmother.”

“Did anyone tell you how your miserable father died?” The shorter Death Eater to his right spoke up for the first time, his quiet words laced with malice. Albus drew in a shuddering breath as he turned his face to stare at the figure.

_ That voice… I know his voice…?  _

He watched as the Death Eater moved to take his place directly in front of Albus before continuing. “He was a coward. Did you know that? He was running away from the fight. Running away from all the blood and death and devastation that was entirely his fault. The Dark Lord apprehended him near the Forbidden Forest and dragged him back to the courtyard where he was executed in front of your whole miserable family. Harry Potter was an inferior excuse of a wizard and so it seems you.”

_ The way he said Harry…  _ Albus felt sick.  _ I know him. I know him. _

“Teddy?” The name slipped out before Albus could stop himself. The figure in front of him inhaled sharply as he reached out and grabbed a hold of Albus’ bruised throat. Albus’ eyes went wide as a shock of terror washed over him, his mind immediately sending him back to Bellatrix’ wild screaming and violent hands. He let out a choked gurgle as Teddy cruelly tightened his grip, eyes burning behind the mask.

“No one calls me that and certainly not some Potter scum like you.” Albus tried to bring his hands up, silently sobbing at the pain moving his right hand caused. But he was stopped by a jolt of electricity from the glowing cuffs and Teddy just squeezed harder and there was nothing he could do.  There was absolutely nothing he could do and the panic wouldn’t go away. It was burning in his chest along with the lack of oxygen. Teddy held him by the throat until his vision went fuzzy, and then dim, and then everything started to fade to black as he felt his legs buckle beneath him.

“That’s enough, Black. Remember what Umbridge said. She wants him mostly unharmed.” The words barely cut through the fog in his head, but then suddenly he could breathe, Teddy’s hand falling away. Oxygen flooded back into him, burning his throat and lungs as he pulled in as much air as he could. Albus was so dizzy, the room swimming in and out of focus as his legs finally gave up, The Death Eater’s brutal grip on his arms being the only thing keeping him upright. More awful taunts were thrown at him but he barely had the sense to process them, only catching bits and pieces. 

“Baby.”

“Coward.”

“Insignificant little shit.”

“Waste of magic.”

The only voice that managed to cut through the fog was Teddy’s voice, back to its unsettling quiet tone. “I can’t wait to see what Umbridge has planned for you.” 

“Well, I know what I’ve got planned for him.” Albus watched in detached horror as one of them raised their wand. “ _ Cruc - _ ”

“That’s enough,” a tired voice broke through the laughter, stopping the curse before it started. Mingled relief and delayed terror overwhelmed him as Albus processed the first kind action shown to him since Scorpius, and suddenly he found it more difficult to breathe than when Teddy had been choking him. His chest ached and he was shaking so badly that his teeth were chattering, deep painful sobs tearing from his bruised throat. He couldn’t do this anymore. 

This time when his legs gave out, the Death Eaters didn’t keep him from falling. He hit the ground with a dull thud and immediately tried to curl in on himself as much as possible, muscles starting to twitch and seize in what was becoming a familiar cycle of pain.

_ Please just stop _ .  _ I can’t do this. I can’t. Please. _

“Get up, boy,” the tired man said quietly, his voice carrying none of the bite of his companions. Albus cringed away until the man grabbed his upper arm, curiously avoiding any of his injuries, and dragged him to his feet. “That’s enough,” the man repeated more firmly. “We need to bring him to the Great Hall. Headmistress doesn’t like to be kept waiting”

“Come on, Diggory, lighten up,” the one with his wand drawn sighed. “We were just having a bit of fun.”

“You’re getting quite boring in your old age, mate.” 

“You’re older than me, Macnair.” 

The rest of the conversation was drowned out by the roaring in Albus’ ears as he stared at the man holding him upright. Cedric Diggory. 

_ Cedric Diggory is a Death Eater.  _ Albus felt something in him break and crumble away as he was pulled out of the cell, surrounded by the remaining Death Eaters.  _ I risked everything to save his life and now...  _ He chanced a look at Cedric, trying to see, trying to understand why.  _ Why did you end up like this? Why didn’t I listen to Scorpius in the first place? Why am I so so stupid? _

Albus didn’t dare speak, not after what had happened last time he tried. And it wasn’t like he was even capable of talking past the painful silent sobs that were still forcing their way out of him. One wrong word, one foolish slip-up, and he’d never see his family again. 

_ Might not see them again anyway...  _

Albus was led from the dungeons, not even having the energy to appreciate the fact that he was out of that god-awful cell for the first time in a very long while. He was starting to drift, the familiar feeling of floating away from his body almost comforting as he was reduced to the most basic of responses. He knew to pick his feet up when they reached a staircase, he knew to duck his head when a Death Eater yelled at him for stumbling, and he knew that he needed to keep breathing no matter how much it hurt.

He could hear people all around him, laughing, talking, whispering, but he was unable to make out any faces. His vision was blurred, a whirl of light and colors that twisted his stomach uncomfortably. There was music playing and Albus realized too late that they were about to enter the Great Hall. Before he could do anything more than shake his head in protest, Teddy pushed the doors open and Albus was pulled inside. 

The Great Hall had been transformed into a magnificent ballroom, hundreds of students wearing their finest robes packed inside. But this wasn’t the Yule Ball. It wasn’t anything like Albus had imagined a celebration at Hogwarts would look like. This was dark and sinister, green torches sending everything into a severe and sickly glow. The banners hung along the walls depicted awful scenes that could only be from the Battle of Hogwarts. And the music was deep and harsh, the low notes resonating in his sore chest and making his head throb. 

Albus could feel hundreds of eyes on him and focused his gaze on the ground, unable to handle the amount of hatred and malice he saw staring back at him. Suddenly there was a hand in his hair and he let out a startled whine, anticipating the pain and helplessness that came from being dragged around that way. So he didn’t know how to respond when the person touching him brushed the hair off of his forehead in a gesture that reminded him so much of his Mum before leaning down to speak softly in his ear. “Do whatever she asks.” Cedric’s voice was so quiet that Albus was almost convinced he was imagining it. “Don’t mouth off and don’t fight back. Scream like your life depends on it, because it does. Just give them a good show and you’ll get through this.” There was a brief, gentle touch of fingers against his bruised cheek, and then the moment shattered as Cedric straightened back up, his mask an impassive wash of tarnished silver.

When they reached the front of the hall, Albus caught sight of a flash of pink standing up on the raised platform where the Head Table usually sat and he pulled uselessly at the grip on his arms, consequences be damned. He felt Cedric dig his fingers into his upper arm in a very clear warning and he forced himself to still. He knew Umbridge was staring at him, he could already picture her flabby face stretched into a smug grin, so he chose to continue his staring contest with the floor.

“Hem, hem,” Umbridge cleared her throat and Albus cowered as the entire hall fell silent, positive that everyone could now hear his frantically pounding heart. “Welcome, students. Welcome to our celebration of magical purity, superiority, and might. Today we remember the glorious victory of The Dark Lord over those that dared to oppose him. There is no room in this world for weakness, as you all know. Let us all remember what happens to those who are a disgrace to our society and therefore should not be allowed to exist.”

With the wave of her wand, the cords around Albus’ wrists burned into him and he let out a little cry of pain as he was pulled up the steps before being forced to his knees beside her. “You see this boy here?” Umbridge continued as Albus stared blankly ahead. He was starting to drift again. “ - is of the weakest blood.”

_ Scorpius? _ Albus had caught sight of his friend’s platinum hair in the midst of the bloodthirsty crowd. He was aware that Umbridge was still talking, still spitting out her horrible vitriol, but the only thing that mattered was that Scorpius was here. Scorpius was looking up at him with overly bright eyes, his face sunken and white and twisted into an expression of such terror that Albus wanted to scream. What was Scorpius so scared of? Who was causing his best friend this much pain? 

“The filthy blood of Harry Potter runs through this creature’s veins.” There was a wand shoved up under his chin, forcing his head back and making him lose sight of Scorpius. It hurt. “And he will soon see that the Dark Lord’s world is no place for Potter scum.” 

Albus found himself staring up at the enchanted ceiling as Umbridge droned on.  _ The stars are the same. _ He thought as he lost himself in the swirling galaxies and scattered stars.  _ Well, if you ignore the great bloody Dark Mark, that is.  _ He didn’t know how long he floated through space, picking out constellations his grandparents had shown him, before his arms were suddenly grabbed and yanked forward. 

He forgot Cedric’s warning not to struggle, forgot everything except the need to get away, the need to stop being touched. The panic was too overwhelming and his mind was coming apart and he wanted to go, wanted his Mum, wanted Scorpius. His wrists were dragged up and he screamed as the movement pulled at his shoulders and jostled his broken hand. He registered the roar of laughter from the crowd, felt his cheeks burn in humiliation knowing that they were laughing at him but not understanding why. Albus had a small moment of relief when he was released from the glowing cords, only to have it crushed when his wrists were pushed into solid metal cuffs and locked in place.

“Please… please… please…” A steady stream of feeble pleas had begun leaking out like he was a cracked teakettle. His breathing was catching in his chest, gasping out in panicked bursts which only got worse when his shirt suddenly disappeared. A cold foreboding turned his stomach to lead and he squeezed his eyes shut with a miserable whimper. These people wanted to hurt him and hurt him they would. Badly. Albus wanted to scream and cry and throw up all at the same time. He was so scared.

In that moment, he needed Scorpius more than he needed air and so he lifted his head up to frantically locate his only lifeline in this hell. Albus easily found him again, his face now more grey than anything and he locked on to Scorpius’ wide eyes. 

_ Please don’t leave me.  _ He thought desperately as Scorpius opened and closed his mouth a few times.  _ I don’t want to be alone with these people.  _ And much to his overwhelming relief, Scorpius held his eye, jaw tight and fists clenched stiffly at his sides.  _ Thank you… thank you. I’m so sorry, you shouldn’t be here, but I need you.  _ He was so lost in Scorpius’ steady gaze that he didn’t hear Umbridge’s cry until he saw Scorpius flinch. So with enormous effort, Albus reeled his drifting consciousness back in.

“How many lashes does this filth deserve?” Her voice echoed throughout the room and Albus rested his forehead against the post between his wrists that he hadn't noticed until now as the crowd screamed around him. His head was going to split open, it was pounding so hard. He didn’t have the energy to pull away when Umbridge leaned down and spoke directly into his face. “You will count the lashes as we go, boy.”

_ What… lashes? I don’t - I - what’s happening? _

There was a swish, a crack, and then a bolt of white-hot pain shot down his back as he jerked forward, a strangled cry causing the crowd to shriek their approval.

“What was that, Potter?” Umbridge simpered, her eyes alight with a manic blaze. “I don’t think I quite made that out.”

“O-one,” Albus choked, his vision going white around the edges. 

“Oh, I don’t think they heard that.” Umbridge referred to the cheering crowd. Albus picked up his head and found Scorpius, drawing in a shaky breath as he did so.

“One!” he cried out, his raw throat protesting the effort. The pain from the first lash was beginning to fade, the burning agony dulling to a throbbing ache. But then, swish, crack, and - 

Albus screamed as another bolt of fire arched across his shoulders. The pain was indescribable. 

“I’m sorry, boy, but it appears you’ve forgotten something.” Umbridge’s shrill voice was in his ear and he cringed away with a whine. “Do we need to start over?” Albus shook his head desperately.

_ No… no…  _

“T-two!” He slumped against the post, pressing his forehead into the cool metal. The pain in his wrists and hand from taking on the full weight of his upper body were nothing compared to what Umbridge was doing to him. Scorpius looked like he was going to throw up.

_ How many… how -  _

Swish, crack - 

“Three!” Albus cried as his back exploded with pain.

_ I want my Mum… _

Swish, crack - 

“F-four!” He was going to die tonight. Albus could feel something warm begin to trickle down his back as he shivered, his whole body going into shock. And so he began retreating into his fractured mind, his poor abused consciousness doing anything possible to provide any semblance of protection it could. He was focused only on counting and making sure he obeyed so that nothing worse happened, and Scorpius’ haunted face as the rest of the world spiraled around him.

Swish, crack - 

_________________________________________________

  
  


Scorpius couldn't breathe. His chest burned from the lack of oxygen and his throat felt like he had a large stone stuck in it. All the air had been sucked out of the room the moment that Albus had been forced to his knees next to Umbridge.

And now.

Now Scorpius was digging his fingernails into his palms as hard as he could, the physical pain paling in comparison to the absolute mental anguish of watching his best friend get struck over and over and over again by Amycus Carrow’s whip.  _ Forty lashes.  _ Scorpius shuddered as he remembered Umbridge’s shrill words.  _ Can he survive forty lashes? Am I about to watch my best friend die? _

He had already been forced to stand by and watch Albus be tortured in a room full of students, but this? How could he continue to stand here and let this happen? The whip whistled through the air again, the sickening slap of it connecting with Albus’ back almost as bad as the awful scream that it ripped out of him.

“S-seven,” Albus was starting to weaken, his eyes hazy and unfocused, but he hadn’t looked away from Scorpius once. And neither had Scorpius looked away from him, providing comfort the only way he was capable.

_ I’m here, Albus _ . Scorpius felt as if there was a noose tightening around his neck as Amycus reared back for another strike.  _ I’m not leaving you alone.  _ Slowly, he became aware of the crowd of students around him, their screams and cheers igniting something cold and calculated deep within him.

“Give ‘em what he deserves!”

“Go to hell, Potter scum!”

“Cry, little baby!”

“Wonder if they’d let one of us have a go?” 

“Scorpius!” He jolted at the sound of his name, feeling Polly’s fingers digging into his forearm. 

“Y-yes?” He stuttered, not taking his eyes off Albus as another strike bit into his skin. 

“I said, isn’t this so exciting?” Scorpius felt Polly lay her head against his shoulder, could practically see her sadistic grin in the tone of her voice. 

“I see why you chose this one, Scorpion King,” Yann hit his shoulder, hard, but Scorpius barely flinched. “Maybe you’ll be up for sharing now?”

“If he makes it,” Karl’s flippant statement had him seeing red and Scorpius lashed out blindly, his hand tangling in the robes at Karl’s throat.

“My previous statement still stands,” he growled. “If any of you even think about laying a finger on him you will regret it.”

“You know better than to talk to him when he’s like this, Karl,” Polly snapped as Scorpius shoved him away. He tuned out the rest of their irritating chatter as another shaking scream tore into his soul.

“Fifteen.” Albus was crying, tears running down his cheeks as his fingers twitched uselessly. He was so pale, Scorpius belatedly noticed, the bruises along his ribs and throat standing out like ink blotches on paper.

_ I don’t think a simple pain potion is going to do much good now _ . His heart ached as he realized that Albus had started to bleed, thin stripes of red curling over his shoulders and around his ribs.  _ I’m so sorry I didn’t get you out sooner. I should have tried harder, been more insistent at getting you to safety.  _ Scorpius caught sight of Umbridge’s smug face as she watched over the proceedings, and he spared a quick glance in her direction.

_ She’s sick.  _ Scorpius felt such a deep loathing curl in his chest and he ripped his eyes away, afraid of what he might do if he looked at her any longer.  _ I’m glad she doesn’t exist in our world. _

“T-twenty.” Albus was barely audible, his damaged throat having given out from all the screaming. Amycus was flicking blood off the end of the whip now, and the students closest to the front were screaming with excitement as they were splashed. Scorpius swallowed hard, forcing back a wave of nausea as he worked his fingernails deeper into his palms. 

_ Halfway there, Albus,  _ he wanted to say. Scorpius stopped breathing for a moment when he caught sight of a girl reach up to wipe a bit of blood off her face and examine it with feral glee before sticking her finger in her mouth and sucking it clean. 

_ These people… I don’t understand… I don’t…  _ He unconsciously found himself pressing closer to the front, Polly trailing along behind him.  _ I’m still here, Albus.  _ He wanted to reach out, wipe the tears off his face, take away this unimaginable pain any way he could. _ But I can’t.  _ Scorpius felt helpless as he watched several more lashes shred into Albus’ skin.  _ I can’t do a damn thing to help him now. _

“Twenty-five.” Scorpius could see Albus fading, could see the awareness leaving his eyes.

_ I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. _

“T-twenty-six…” There was blood on his wrists now from where the cuffs had cut into him, running down his arms and dripping onto the floor by his knees.

_ Stop this… please. _

“Twenty… seven.” Scorpius could feel his legs getting shakier, the act of standing almost too much.

_ You’re killing him. _

“... Twenty-eight.” Albus had stopped shivering, his words now no more than a pained whimper.

_ I’m sorry. _

“...T-twenty-n-nine…”

_ I’m so sorry. _

“T-thirt…”

Scorpius just about collapsed when Albus’ eyes slid closed and didn’t reopen, his whole body going limp against the post that was holding him upright.

_ No. No no no, please no. He isn’t… He’s not. _

He almost sobbed in relief when, after a moment, he saw the faint rise and fall of Albus’ chest. 

_ Not dead.  _ Scorpius felt cold and hot all at the same time.  _ Just unconscious. _

He tensed when Umbridge’s loathsome tutting cut through the wild crowd. “Remember this, students,” she cried. “This is what weakness looks like. This is why the Dark Lord is our supreme leader, and why those rebellious traitors are dead.” Scorpius wanted to cover his ears, wanted to shut her up anyway he could. But he couldn’t leave Albus. 

_ I promised I wouldn’t. _

“But we won’t let this pathetic disappointment escape his punishment just because he wasn’t strong enough to take it, will we?” Umbridge stood there as the crowd cheered, a look of glee plastered across her horrid face. Scorpius felt bile burn at the back of his throat.

_ She wouldn’t… there’s no way… he’s unconscious! _

He felt the blood drain from his face when he heard the familiar sound of splitting air followed by a crack and the snap of striking flesh. 

_ No... _

They were going to finish. They were going to continue whipping the life out of Albus even though he wasn’t conscious to feel it. Scorpius took a shuddering breath and squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t need to watch anymore. He had no one left to be brave for. Scorpius trembled as the crowd counted. 

“Thirty-two, thirty-three.”

Scorpius was standing on the edge of a violent panic attack, his limbs had started to go cold.

_ No no no. Stop. Please stop. You’ve already done enough.  _

“Thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six.”

He couldn’t breathe.

_ Just let it end. Please. Please stop hurting him. Please _

“Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine.”

Scorpius was going to pass out right here in the Great Hall surrounded by enemies.

_ One more. Just one more. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.  _

“Forty.”

The crowd exploded into wild cheers and Scorpius resisted the urge to cover his ears. He peeled his eyes open, cringing as the raving students squeezed in around him. If he couldn’t see the slight rise of his chest, he would have been convinced that Albus was dead. Scorpius wanted to turn and run away, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to see the blood dripping from his mouth that certainly hadn’t been there last time he had visited, the dark bruises that covered his face, his throat, his chest, his arms. Didn’t want to look at the thin bloody stripes that reached around his torso, couldn’t even  _ begin _ to imagine what Albus’ back looked like. Scorpius didn’t want to look at the unnatural way all the fingers on his friend’s right hand were bent, didn’t want to see the blood streaking down his forearms from wounds both old and new. But he didn’t look away. Scorpius kept his eyes firmly forward even as the rest of him fell apart because he had promised. He had promised and there was no way he was going back on his word. 

“Let this be a reminder to us all that those who defy the Dark Lord will be met with severe punishments,” Scorpius could hardly stand to look at Umbridge as she stood there gloating. Her horrid voice and her horrid words grated against his consciousness so fiercely that he wanted nothing more than to jinx her where she stood. “Potter here will live on as an example, forever at the Augurey’s feet to remind us all of this lesson.” Scorpius felt a quiet growl slip out from between his clenched teeth as Umbridge reached down and grabbed a handful of Albus’ hair, pulling his head back so that the whole room could see his battered face. Albus didn’t so much as twitch from the rough treatment, and Scorpius was almost thankful. Umbridge stared hatefully at Albus before releasing him, his head dropping forward with no resistance. “Now, I want you all to enjoy yourselves and celebrate your power.”

_ Enough. This has gone on long enough. _

Scorpius squared his shoulders and began to push his way through the crowd, burning eyes fixed on Umbridge’s retreating back. 

“Scorpius! What are you doing?” Polly whined at him while pulling on his arm, causing unwanted resistance.

“Polly let go,” Scorpius ripped his arm out of her grasp. But when he caught sight of her surprised face, he faltered. “I - uh, I want a closer look.” His mind was racing and excuses seemed impossible. “I’ll grab us some drinks after?” This seemed to appease her and Polly disappeared back into the crowd, a satisfied little grin on her face.

_ Probably to find her insufferable friends. _ Scorpius turned away, Polly already an afterthought as he made his way forward.  _ I don’t care. I don’t care anymore. I’m getting him now. This is too much. Is he even going to survive? _

By this time, he had finally made it to the front of the mob, the ringing in his ears drowning out the cacophony around him. He didn’t think it possible, but Albus’ injuries looked even worse up close. There was so much blood… on Albus… on the floor around him, and Scorpius’ stomach twisted at the sight of it. His face was a wreck, nose clearly broken and a huge tear in his bottom lip being the new additions to the bruises and gashes that Scorpius was familiar with. Even unconscious, Albus looked like he was in so much pain, his shoulders pulled at an awful angle as he slumped against the pole he was locked to. And Merlin, he was so thin.  _ How has it only been a week? _

_ I can’t do this anymore.  _ The ringing in Scorpius’ ears got louder as he reached into his robes for his wand. _ Consequences be damned. I’m not letting them hurt him again.  _

Scorpius took a determined step forward, mind already overflowing with hexes to use on the Carrows and Umbridge, when a hand clamped around his wrist and yanked him to the side. He gasped and staggered backward, digging his heels into the ground as he pulled against the iron grip.

“Be quiet, Malfoy.” He recognized Snape’s drawling tone but didn’t stop struggling to break free.

“Let me go, professor!” He said with a scowl as he stumbled across the floor. “Let go!”

“Not here, boy.” Snape seemed unaffected by Scorpius’ attempts to get loose, quickening his steps as he navigated them through the crowd. A panic unlike anything he had felt before was clawing its way up his throat as Scorpius spun around, his need to stay with Albus so strong he could barely think straight.

_ I promised I wouldn’t leave. I promised! _

“Please, let go. I need -” Scorpius yelped as Snape pushed him into a small room right off of the Great Hall behind the head table. He tripped over his own feet and crashed into a small table, sending its contents clattering to the floor as Snape aimed his wand at the door behind them. 

“ _ Colloportus, _ ” Scorpius heard the door seal shut as Snape gave his wand another wave. “ _ Muffliato. _ ” 

“Let me out, professor,” Scorpius snarled, staring at Snape with fire in his eyes. “Let me out right now.”

“Do you not remember a single word of our conversation?” Snape bit back. “Do you understand what will happen to you both if you blow your cover now?”

“I don’t care!” Scorpius was furious to find that his eyes were beginning to sting. “I don’t care what happens to me anymore!”

“You do -”

“He needs me! He could die!” Scorpius cried hysterically. He had already lost his mother, he couldn't lose Albus too. Why couldn’t Snape understand that?

“They won’t let him die, Scorpius,” Snape sounded so tired as he rubbed at his temple. “He’s a valuable asset to them, and -”

“He’s a  _ PERSON _ !” Scorpius exploded, tears finally breaking free and running down his cheeks. He was too angry to wipe them away as he stared Snape down. “And what? They’re just going to leave him out there for people to stare at and taunt and poke at like he’s some kind of exhibit? Did you hear what Umbridge said? They’re going to keep doing this! Forever! This is WRONG!” 

“Of course it is,” Snape sighed, “but the worst thing you can do for him right now is to make them suspect you.” His level tone only served to irritate Scorpius further. “You cannot get caught or he will absolutely die here tonight.” Scorpius was so angry at himself for being able to do nothing but cry so hard he could barely breathe. He wanted to scream, to throw something, to knock that stupidly calm expression off of Snape’s face. But all he could do was pathetically wipe the tears from his cheeks and sniffle. “Now, pull yourself together, go back out there and tell that insufferable Polly Chapman you’ve fallen ill.” 

“No, I don’t -”

“Then go straight to your dorm and sleep this off,” Snape pulled a small purple vial out of his robes and pressed it into Scorpius’ hand. “You have a very long day ahead of you tomorrow.”

“I’m not leaving him,” Scorpius said defiantly as he tried to hand the potion back. “He’s been alone for so long. I will not leave him in a room full of people that despise him!”

“I will watch over the boy, you have my word,” Snape reached out and firmly pushed the potion back into Scorpius’ hand. “That’s a potion for dreamless sleep. Something tells me you’ll be needing it.” Then with a hard look, Snape laid a hand on his shoulder. Scorpius was proud of himself for not immediately shrugging it off. “You are no help to him if you are dead on your feet.”

“But I’m not -” Scorpius tried to protest.

“And you are most certainly no help to any of us if you act foolishly tonight.” Merlin, he was right and Scorpius knew it. As much as he hated to admit it, he was one fourteen year old student in a room full of the most powerful dark witches and wizards in history. He didn’t stand a chance. “Sleep, Scorpius. Albus would want you to.” Scorpius flinched at the mention of Albus’ name. 

“You don’t know what Albus would want,” Scorpius snapped, although he knew without a doubt that Albus would absolutely want him to be taking care of himself. He could practically hear Albus’ exasperated voice telling him off for staying up to finish an essay or forgetting to go to lunch. 

“If he’s as foolish as you, I believe I do,” Snape was blunt but there was a softness in his voice that Scorpius didn’t expect. “Now go, rest. If all goes to plan, you and your Albus will be home this time tomorrow.”

_ Tomorrow.  _ The realization that this nightmare was going to hopefully be over tomorrow loosened the band of dread that had been slowly but surely tightening around his chest ever since he had first stepped foot in this demented reality.  _ Tomorrow. _ Scorpius managed a nod, finally bringing himself to look Snape in the eyes.  _ He’s literally risking everything to help you. _ Scorpius felt rather ashamed of his outburst all of a sudden. 

“R-right,” Scorpius straightened his robes and wiped any traces of tears from his face. “Please,” he breathed, fixing Snape with a desperate look. “Please don’t let him die.” Snape simply nodded as he pointed his wand at the door, the lock clicking open with a small pop, but Scorpius was satisfied. With a final shuddering breath, he pocketed the potion and pushed his way back out into the crowd of students, searching for Polly so that he could get at least one unpleasantry over with. It took a frustratingly long time to find her, and by the time Scorpius had tracked her down he really did feel a little bit queasy. The crowd, and the loud music, and the knowledge that his best friend was suffering hardly fifty feet away was altogether too much for him to handle.

“Polly, I’m not feeling very well all of a sudden,” Scorpius tried to make himself sound listless and unfocused, drooping his shoulders and taking a deep breath as he looked at her pathetically. “I’m so sorry, but I think I need to call it a night.”

“Oh, Scorpius you look terrible.” He resisted the urge to pull away as Polly reached up to brush his hair off of his forehead.

“Yes, thank you, Polly,” he allowed her to touch his cheek, the side of his neck, the collar of his robes before he pulled away. “I really am quite sorry.” Before he turned to leave, Scorpius searched the crowd until his eyes landed on Snape, hovering near the front of the hall and watching him with an even stare. 

_ Please… please keep your promise. _

Scorpius made sure Snape was still watching him as he pointedly turned his gaze to Albus, almost losing his resolve all over again when he saw the tears streaked down his bloody face.

“Scorpius, you really don’t look well at all,” Scorpius tore himself away from Albus, wanting to die just a little as he looked at Polly instead.

“I… I need to go.” It took every remaining ounce of Scorpius’ dwindling restraint to turn his back on Albus and leave, feeling like the world’s absolute worst friend as he practically ran out of the Great Hall. He was incredibly proud of himself for making it all the way to his room before breaking down completely, hot angry tears burning his eyes as he slammed the door behind him.

“ _ C-colloportus _ ,” Scorpius choked, not wanting to take any chances tonight. There was no way he was going to get his mask back in place any time soon. He tried to take deep breaths as he pulled his shoes off and placed both wands and the time turner in their usual places, but he couldn't. He couldn’t get Albus’ face out of his head, the way he looked so scared and desperate and lost. The blood all over the floor, the horrible snap of the whip and the sounds Albus made when he was struck. Scorpius struggled out of his dress robes with shaking hands, being sure to remove the potion Snape had handed him.

_ If there was ever a night for dreamless sleep.  _ He laughed brokenly as he dug through his trunk for anything even vaguely comforting.  _ I’m never going to get tonight out of my head.  _ Scorpius shivered as he remembered thinking that he had just watched Albus die, remembered his nightmare and how he was convinced that he had just watched it come true. He almost sobbed in relief when he managed to produce a green Quidditch jumper and a pair of black joggers which he changed into immediately before collapsing onto the bed. Scorpius nearly forgot about the potion until it clinked against his elbow as he shifted. He grabbed the bottle with shaking hands and brought it up to his face, eyeing the thick purple liquid with a skeptical sigh.

_ I suppose it’s necessary. _ Scorpius uncorked the potion and gave it a tentative sniff. It smelled like strong tea, and honey, and lavender, and it reminded him so much of his Mum that a fresh wave of tears soaked into his jumper sleeve.  _ You would be so disappointed in me, Mum.  _ Scorpius shivered as he downed the potion in a few unsteady gulps, the cloying taste of honey clinging to his tongue. 

_ Alright, what’s left of the plan?  _ Scorpius thought as he burrowed under the covers and waited for the potion to take effect. _ Wait until the Death Eaters clear out sometime tomorrow. When curfew goes into place, go to the dungeons. Make it past the dementor.  _ He choked on a sob.  _ H-hope that Albus can still move on his own.  _ Scorpius pressed his face into his pillow as he remembered the blood and the screams and the swish - crack, and -  _ Get back past the dementor, this time with Albus. Go to Snape without getting caught. Take the time turner to Ron and Hermione. Go back in time not once, but twice, and then pray that it all works out.  _

He could feel the potion beginning to pull him under, and Scorpius hated himself for it.  _ I’m the worst friend… I left him there, after I promised I wouldn’t. And now I’m sleeping comfortably in my bed after taking a potion to keep the nightmares away.  _ He was fading fast, the heavy fog closing in over his senses like a heavy blanket.  _ Tomorrow… this ends tomorrow…  _

  
  
  
  
  



	9. Chapter 9

Albus was curled up in a comfortable ball, listening to the silence pressing in all around him. He was so warm, warmer than he could ever remember being before. He could tell, even without opening his eyes, that he was perfectly alone, and he was content with that. 

Wherever he was, was brightly lit because he could see it filtering through his eyelids; a warm messy golden glow. He felt relaxed. He felt happy. Albus stayed like that for a long time, breathing slowly and enjoying the feeling of being pain-free. Years later, or maybe only moments, he decided to open his eyes. He was surrounded by a bright white mist that was so different from what he was accustomed to. Mist usually meant pain and suffering and fading away, eating at his surroundings until there was nothing left. This mist wasn’t hiding what was around him; rather it had been waiting for him to open his eyes so it could turn into his surroundings. 

He was sitting on a worn velvet seat, the cushions squashy with age but welcoming and familiar. His fingers found a small burned patch, just on the underside of the bench that brought a small smile to his face. Albus slowly uncurled from the corner, taking in the aged paneling and sparkling glass of the window he had been leaning up against. He was able to move without pain and he stretched his unmarked arms above his head with a blissful sigh.

“How are you feeling, Albus?”

His head jerked to the side, not having noticed the figure sitting across from him until just this moment. At first, Albus thought it was his Dad. He had the same untidy, rumpled hair and slightly lopsided glasses. But then he realized that this person looked much younger than he had ever seen his Dad, and his eyes were a warm brown, not green like Albus’ and Harry’s. They were exactly like his brother’s, which could only mean -

“James,” Albus breathed as he stared at his grandfather casually lounging across from him. “Or, erm, Grandfather?” He watched as James’ face split into a huge smile before the door to the compartment slid shut with a soft snap.

“Blimey, James,” a tall handsome man with dark hair and sharp cheekbones slid into the seat next to his grandfather, pulling him into a friendly headlock as James squawked in protest. “You got old fast, mate.” Albus immediately recognized the face of Sirius Black, albeit younger and happier than any of the pictures his Dad had tried to show him.

“What, and you didn’t?” James quipped. “As I recall, you’re the oldest one here.”

“Incorrect,” Sirius shot back. “That honor goes to Moony. So forgetful in your old age.”

“You’re still older than me,” James wiggled out of Sirius’ grip, his glasses even more crooked than before.

“So it is my duty as your elder to reprimand you for your son’s dreadful taste in naming his own children,” Sirius brushed some imaginary dust off of his sleeve. “Just in case you need help remembering, my son didn’t name his child after a slimy git.”

“That’s right, Harry did name one after two of the biggest gits I know,” Albus looked further to his right, heart leaping when he took in the face of Remus Lupin, Teddy’s dad, seated next to Sirius with a fond smile on his face. “James Sirius Potter. I wish I could have seen the look on McGonagall’s face when she saw that name on the roster.”

“Come off it, Moony,” James laughed.

“Snivellus, Moony,” Sirius fixed Remus with a disbelieving look. “Harry named his son after _Snivellus_.” He looked over to Albus apologetically. “No offense, kid.”

“There will be no harassing of my grandson in this train car, or I will personally hex you,” Albus almost couldn’t bring himself to look and see who was seated next to him because he already knew who was going to be there.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Lily Potter’s smile was widest of all as she looked at him, her sparkling green eyes the exact shade as his own. “You’ve been so brave.” Albus felt his eyes begin to fill with tears as he took in everything about her. Lily’s eyebrows knitted together and she reached out a gentle hand towards him, brushing the hair from his forehead just like his Mum would’ve done.

“I - I don’t understand,” he said as he looked around at the people surrounding him. “How am I here? What happened?” A thought took root in his mind. “Am I… am I dead as well?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it,” Remus leaned forward with a sigh. Lily took his hand and Albus tightened his grip thankfully. 

“That is the question indeed, Mr. Lupin.” Another figure had entered their compartment and Albus looked up to see his namesake standing in the doorframe, wearing magnificent robes of amethyst purple.

“Y-you’re…” Albus stammered, suddenly feeling rather shy.

“Dumbledore,” James confirmed with a nod. 

“Do I have to go back?” Albus’ voice trembled. Going back meant pain and fear and suffering and he squeezed his eyes shut to block it out.

“That’s entirely up to you,” Dumbledore’s voice was calm and steady. 

“I - I don’t think I can…” Albus choked out. 

“You’ve fought so hard, Albus,” James gave him an encouraging nod.

_Just like my James would do._

“I think I’d like to st-” A sudden jolt of electricity shot down Albus’ spine and he gasped as the train car lurched around him. “What was that?” 

“It appears that you must keep holding on, Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore’s soft voice sounded like it was coming through a fog.

“Wait, no!” Albus watched in horror as the train car began to disappear in a cloud of bright white mist, the warmth slowly fading. He was getting so cold, a dull ache beginning to spread between his shoulder blades.

“He needs you, Albus,” he felt Lily press her lips to his forehead, but he could no longer see her face.

“Albus Severus Potter,” he swore he heard the groans of three young adults fading into the mist. “I am sorry for the burden my name has given you.” It was so dark now. Albus could barely breathe.

“Please,” he called out, his voice echoing like he was trapped in an enormous tunnel. His throat felt raw and scratchy. “Don’t go.”

There was no reply.

Waking up was slow and terrible and Albus fought against consciousness with every shred of will he had left. The air that filtered back into his lungs was sharp and musty and he wanted to choke. He forced himself to breathe anyway. 

Blackness pressed painfully against his eyes, so he shut them. They felt like lead, so heavy and sore it was a wonder he had managed to open them in the first place. Pain and terror and anguish combined into a gritty sort of exhaustion that held him to the floor. 

His head felt like a scattered jigsaw puzzle with half of the pieces missing; the giant gaps and holes in his memory were almost more distressing than the physical state he was in. Albus could feel himself shaking as he tried to remember how he’d gotten here. All he could extract from the fragments of his mind was an intense wave of fear that almost made him sick, hands pulling his hair, yanking at his arms. Noise. So much noise. Yelling and laughing and someone speaking softly in his ear. Terrified grey eyes never leaving his. And then pain like lightning across his back over and over and over until he couldn’t remember anything but the sensation of being slowly but surely shredded to pieces.

Albus choked back a dry sob when his back flared with a cruel wave of agony and he tried to swallow the bitter taste clinging to the back of his tongue. His mouth was as dry as sand and his throat was raw. His swirling thoughts solidified for a brief moment.

_Water._

Albus vaguely remembered a rough stone pitcher, cool hands, gentle touches, and brilliant blonde hair. With a horrible rattling breath, he lifted his head only to realize that moving was absolutely out of the question. He was so stiff and every muscle screamed at him for even the smallest bit he was able to shift, so he laid his head back down with a watery sigh. Everything hurt. His back was agony. Maybe if he laid very still, the ever-present fog would pull him back under and this time, maybe, he would be lucky enough to just not wake back up.

“Hem, hem.”

Albus wanted to cry, and maybe he would as he ever so slowly tilted his head to the side until the awful pink heels came into his line of sight. That would explain why he was awake when by all rights he shouldn’t be.

_When is it going to end? What does she want?_

Light burned his eyes and he squeezed them shut as Umbridge’s spell lit the room with a harsh glow.

“Welcome back, boy,” Albus could hear her smile without having to see her ugly face. “Well, Potter. It seems I’ve gotten the answer to my question of how long it would take for you to break,” Umbridge’s voice was soft and Albus hated it. “Not even a week and look at what you’ve become. Not so talkative now, are we?”

_Not even a week… not even a bloody week._

“Well?” Umbridge was gloating, and Albus couldn’t bring himself to care. “Anything to say?”

“P-please,” Albus breathed, unashamed of the single tear that rolled down his face. “Please…”

“You see?” Umbridge’s voice was suddenly louder, impossibly more shrill and Albus flinched as best he could. “A little discipline goes a long way, even with the most difficult of cases.” Albus could feel his eyes beginning to slide closed, already detaching from whatever fresh new hell he was about to experience. But then his tired gaze landed on a second pair of shoes, heavy black combat boots lingering several steps behind Umbridge’s pink heels. Albus’ heart leapt into his throat when he realized that there was a new threat and he looked up as quickly as his aching muscles allowed. There was nothing Albus could have done to have prepared him for who he saw standing in his cell.

“Delphi?” His voice was so small and so broken, yet he could feel the tiniest shred of hope gasp to life as he took in her familiar silver and blue hair and piercing eyes. Somehow, Delphi was here. Delphi was here and she would know what to do. She could get them home.

“You dare to address the Augurey?” Umbridge shrieked, her face beet red as she drew her wand. Albus instinctively curled in on himself as much as his ruined body allowed, desperate to avoid another round of excruciating pain. Delphi merely watched, head tilted to the side and a strange light in her eyes.

“No,” she said to Umbridge, her hand shooting out to push the Headmistress’ wand down. “I can handle my own business.” Albus watched as Delphi crossed the room to crouch in front of him. 

_This was it,_ Albus was almost dizzy with relief as she put herself between him and Umbridge. _Delphi knows how to get out of here. It’s going to be alright_. But then there was a wand in his face and Delphi’s face was so cold as she hissed.

“Quiet, Potter. You don’t speak to me unless spoken to. Understood?” The spark of hope he had felt died just as soon as it had come to life, leaving Albus feeling hollow and numb. “Leave us,” Delphi snapped after a moment, not rising from her position in front of him. “I want to speak to the boy alone.” 

“As you wish, Augurey,” Umbridge took a step back and pocketed her wand. “For Voldemort and Valor.” Albus watched as she did some kind of harsh salute that Delphi returned before Umbridge walked out, leaving only Delphi and him alone in the cell. Albus could only stare at her, trying to understand, trying to see why. Delphi stared right back, her calculated gaze making Albus feel even more exposed than he already was. And the silence continued. Dreadful, nauseating silence. All Albus could hear was his frantic heartbeat thudding wildly in his ears. 

What did Delphi want? She wasn’t saying anything and she wasn’t moving, her predatory stare burning into his soul.

How long had she been staring at him? Minutes? Hours? Days? 

What did she _want?_

A desperate whine slipped out of his wrecked throat, small and shaky and pathetic. This seemed to bring Delphi to life and she pushed herself to her feet, not taking her eyes off of him for a moment. 

“I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you, _Albus Potter_ ,” she smirked, his name sounding awful and wrong coming out of her mouth. “Unfortunately, other things needed to be taken care of before I could make my way here.” She leaned up against the wall behind her, the casualness of her posture contrasting so harshly with the words she was saying. “I was almost worried that they’d killed you last night, that you weren’t nearly as resilient as your father.” 

_Please just kill me,_ Albus let his eyes slide shut with a small groan. _I can’t do this anymore._

“Ah, ah, ah, little Albus,” he heard Delphi stalk forward, felt her boot connect with his shoulder. “You’ve got to look at me.” Albus forced his eyes back open, cringing back when he found Delphi’s face less than a foot from his. “Good boy.” The mocking praise sent a shiver up his spine and he stayed silent. What did she expect him to say? This situation was altogether too much for his shredded brain to process. Why was Delphi here? Why was Delphi _Diggory_ this horrid person? What even _was_ an Augurey?

“What? You’re not even going to talk to me?” Delphi said with a derisive snort. “But I’ve heard from Dolores and Mother that you were so very talkative and even, dare I say... cheeky just a few days ago.” She looked at him with an exaggerated pouty face as she rocked back on her heels. “Come on, _Potter_ , give me something to work with.” Albus shook his head, too scared to open his mouth again. He could feel himself drifting. “You know,” Delphi snapped, the tip of her wand digging into one of the wounds on the back of his shoulder, dragging a broken scream out of him. “I thought you’d be far more interested in what I had to say considering that I am your future.” Albus reached for something to say, anything to please the psychotic woman in front of him.

“Y- your mother?” He finally forced out, his quiet voice barely audible as he lifted tired eyes to meet her frigid glare. 

“Ah yes, you’ve met her,” Delphi grinned. “Quite a lovely woman. Very passionate about her work. So devoted to my father. I’m sure you remember Bellatrix Lestrange. She tends to make a good first impression.” Albus couldn’t even scream as Delphi pinned his ruined arm under her boot and pressed down lightly, white blotches bursting in his vision.

“But… you said… Diggory,” Albus groaned. His head hurt. His arm was going numb. “You told me you were Cedric’s cousin.” Delphi burst into laughter, her chuckles just as harsh as the rest of her. She was too close. Too close.

“Oh you are too much, Albus,” she was still laughing as she reached out and grabbed his face, holding his chin in an iron grip. “Diggory, that’s a laugh. You see, my father worked tirelessly to rid the world of scum like your wretched father and now after twenty peaceful years, you decide to come along and muck it up.” She released his face with a disdainful snort, his temple thumping against the stones with a muted thud. “But no matter. I’ll prove to the Wizarding World once again that the Potters are nothing compared to the Riddles.”

_No… There’s no way._ He felt so cold as he stared at the witch in front of him.

“You can’t be…” Albus choked out, watching as Delphi’s face twisted. “You’re… you can’t be Voldemort’s daughter?” Delphi didn’t hesitate, swiftly kicking him in the stomach and knocking the breath out of him with a pathetic wheeze.

“YOU DO NOT GET TO SPEAK HIS NAME!” she roared in his face as he cowered in the dirt. “Your kind of filth don’t deserve to speak it.”

“Sorry… sorry… sorry,” Albus mumbled, trying to twist away from her rage. 

“How do you still have so much ignorance stashed away in that little head of yours?” Delphi brushed the hair off of his forehead, but it held none of the gentleness that Scorpius or even Cedric had given him. “Hmm? How are you still so bloody stupid?”

“I don’t know…” Panic was clawing its way up his throat. “Please… I’m sorry.”

“Why don’t we take a look in there and see then.” Albus barely had time to process before Delphi’s face swam in front of his eyes and vanished, plunging him headfirst into a dizzying swirl of images. While Bellatrix’ ransacking of his memories had been haphazard, reckless, and savage, Delphi was precise and calculating, driving into his mind like a spike to find exactly what he didn’t want her to see. It felt like his brain was getting torn to bits as Delphi drove deeper until she latched onto the one conversation he had been trying most to forget.

_“Well, there are times I wish you weren’t my son!” Harry’s angry face floated in front of him, the fury giving way to regret the minute he realized what he had said. “No, no I didn’t mean that -”_

_“You meant it, Dad,” Albus could hear his own voice, hurt and resigned. “And, honestly, I don’t blame you.”_

And then the memory vanished, dissolving into Delphi, Scorpius and himself extracting the time turner out of the book in Hermione’s office, the trepidation cutting through the pride on Scorpius’ face, Delphi’s hungry gaze… Suddenly they were in the Forbidden Forest, Delphi teaching him Expelliarmus and Albus feeling so overjoyed that he had finally gotten the hang of it… Then Hogwarts was in front of him, glowing with a hundred little lights and Scorpius at his side. Delphi seemed intrigued by this as she lingered on Scorpius’ face for a moment before yanking away, her claws shredding and tearing and ripping through everything she touched. 

_I suppose his hair isn't that similar._

_Albus Potter, the Slytherin Squib_

_Thank you, for staying for my sweets, Albus!_

_Albus Potter. An irrelevance. Even portraits turn the other way when he comes up the stairs._

_You're better. You're my best friend, Albus._

With a shuddering gasp, the room came back into focus, Delphi’s amused face right in front of his. Albus tucked his face into his arm, brain aching as if someone had tried to pull it out of his skull.

“My, my, the _Slytherin squib,_ are you?” Delphi pushed herself to her feet so that she was standing over him. “So, in this other world, I told you that I was Cedric Diggory’s cousin? And you believed me?” She laughed, the sound harsh and grating against Albus’ throbbing head. “How very interesting. You are such a foolish boy.” 

_I know… I know…_

“And how very interesting is it that the Malfoy boy appears so frequently in your memories.” Albus’ blood ran cold at the mention of Scorpius’ name. “Very interesting indeed.” 

“Please,” the words slid out of Albus’ mouth before he knew what was happening. But Delphi didn’t seem to hear him. 

“You are no one here, just as you were no one there,” Delphi’s voice bit into him almost as deeply as her mental probing had. “A poor little boy with a father who doesn’t love him. I doubt he’s even noticed you’ve gone.” Albus choked back a sob.

“Go on then,” he spit out, struggling to meet her burning eyes. “Do it. Kill the disappointing Potter.”

“No,” her frighteningly calm voice cut through the air. “Killing you would be far too easy and not nearly as much fun. No, this world is going to see a Potter at the feet of the Augurey. I’m going to destroy you, Albus Potter. I’m going to make you beg for death over and over and over again. And every time you do, I will extend my mercy and preserve your life for the glory of the Dark Lord. ” Albus felt the blood drain from his face as his breath caught in his chest. His heart was going to pound right out of his ribcage. What Delphi was saying… the future she was painting...

“P-please, Delphi,” Albus pleaded as he went numb with pure terror. “Please don’t. I - I can’t. I don’t… just… please -”

“And what do you think begging will do?” Delphi’s grin was feral as she circled around him. “There is no one here to save you. Your parents are dead. You have no family in this world and your only friends are your enemies.” She once again pointed her wand at his face, her voice laced with amusement. “Now, let’s practice, shall we? Kneel, Potter.” Albus had to suppress a manic giggle at her command. He could barely lift his head. How was he supposed to kneel? Delphi sighed and Albus whimpered as he tried to push himself off of the ground. But his arms barely moved and he couldn’t feel his legs and she was still staring at him.

“Delphi, I can’t -”

“What a shame. _Crucio._ ” She said it so calmly that Albus almost thought he misheard her. And then the world disappeared in a burst of searing pain like nothing else, running through his arms and legs and up into his chest, tearing at his wildly pounding heart like fingers of liquid fire. Albus’ whole body shook as fireworks of agony exploded behind his eyes. He felt his bones turn to ash and every muscle, every nerve, every ounce of himself contort and cramp in agony and he was _screaming_ , begging, pleading for it to end.

_Please, whoever you are, please stop. I can’t I can’t please_

Delphi was laughing, the sound just barely audible over his desperate screams. She was laughing and he was dying, and _god_ he wanted his Mum. He could feel himself breaking to pieces, his mind desperately trying to hold itself together. It was too much. He was going to die; he _wanted_ to die. His cries were fading, dissolving into feeble whimpers and it couldn’t be much longer now. 

And then it was over and Albus was curled up in an impossibly tight ball on the floor, someone’s voice echoing nonsensically above him. 

He couldn’t move. His muscles spasmed and pulled at his shaking limbs and he couldn’t move. Then the voice grew louder, angrier and he still couldn’t understand. There were words floating right through his pain-addled brain, and he knew he needed to answer, but he couldn’t make any sense of what was happening.

Where was he? His eyes searched around the room for anything he could lock on to that would explain what was happening and why the world around him had turned into a thick soup of senseless shapes and swirls. He finally found a face and focused, trying to meet the eyes of the woman with the silver hair.

_I… I know her? I know her. She’s my friend... Delphi. Delphi Diggory._ His vision cleared up a bit as his whole body began to feel horrible and tingly, full of pins and needles. But… _Why is her wand pointed at me?_ Albus breathed in sharply as suddenly he remembered, the pieces of his memory flying together with a snap. _Not my friend…_

“What do you say now, Albus?” Delphi’s voice had grown icy. “Are you going to do what you’re told?” Albus couldn't speak, and despite having no proper control over his body, he flinched when she pointed her wand at him again. “Oh no? Pity.” A wide grin spread across her face as she watched him cower, hands raised in a pathetic attempt to cover his face.

“Let’s try something else, then. _Imperio!_ ” 

In an instant, every fear and worry, pain and discomfort was wiped away and Albus felt like he was floating. The most wonderful, vague, untraceable happiness filled his hollow skull and he suddenly felt immensely relaxed and only dimly aware of his surroundings. 

Then Delphi’s voice echoed in some distant section of his brain. _Let’s see. What to do first? Oh, I know. I’ll teach you something you’ll need for your future. Kneel, Potter._ Albus pushed himself up, faintly acknowledging that his right hand was on fire and his back screamed in protest. He settled on his knees and watched Delphi with a calm expression as she showed him the same strange hand signal that Umbridge had used.

“And you say ‘For Voldemort and Valor,” she smirked. 

_Repeat after me,_ her voice whispered in his head. _For Voldemort and Valor._

“For Voldemort and Valor.” Albus recited as he performed the gesture. 

_Why are you doing this?_ Another voice had come to life in the back of his brain and Albus twitched. _You don’t want this._ He knew something was off but he couldn’t place why these words felt like ash in his mouth.

“Good. Very good Albus. See how easy and painless it can be when you obey?” Delphi patted his cheek and he felt a tiny spark of discomfort flash through the dreamy fog.

_Say yes_ , her voice prompted.

“Yes,” The reply fell from his lips. He didn’t want it to.

_Now, why don’t you tell me all about little Malfoy_ , her voice purred. _What’s he to you?_

_NO NO NO,_ the little voice in his head was screaming and he almost had the mind to want to cry. But the words came pouring out anyway.

“Everything. He’s my best friend, my only friend. He’s the greatest thing to happen to me. He’s different here. We’re both different here.” 

_No no, not Scorpius. Protect Scorpius._ An uncomfortable tightness had begun building in his chest.

Delphi’s grin was terrible. _He visits you here frequently. What does he do?_

“Just talks,” his lips were moving against his will. His tongue felt swollen in his mouth.

_Stop, stop, STOP._

“Interesting.”

_Not Scorpius, no please no._ Albus felt like he was going to explode, chaotic energy thrumming against his ribs. 

_Anything else?_ Delphi’s voice was smooth and quiet and Albus couldn’t take it anymore.

_Get out of my head, get out of my head. Not Scorpius, no._

“NO!” And as that word erupted from Albus’ mouth, an explosion of bright red energy blasted from his outstretched hands, sending Delphi flying backward and shaking dust from the ceiling. 

The empty feeling in his head disappeared as Albus collapsed, the unexpected burst of magic leaving him completely and utterly spent. He remembered exactly where he was and what was happening, and every hurt and injury came rushing back in a wave so powerful that his vision began to go fuzzy. 

“Well, that was certainly exciting!” Delphi’s cruel voice pulled him back from the edge and he groaned, desperate to just fade away. “But we’re not finished yet. You’ve just given me so much more to look for.” Albus lifted his tired eyes to hers and just sighed, accepting that not even unconsciousness was going to save him. 

Once again, Albus’ head exploded with pain as Delphi stabbed into his mind, image after image racing through his thoughts in a nauseating blur of color so vivid that it made him sick. Except for this time, the memories were not his own. 

He was in the Great Hall, its walls blasted apart and scarred, spells being yelled and fired from all over the place. Piles of rubble littered the floor and people he didn’t recognize were running left and right. Then he saw his mum, younger than he’d ever seen her, her long red hair streaming behind her as she dueled Bellatrix Lestrange. His heart constricted at the sight of her, a deep agonizing ache as he watched her fight. She was faltering backward, trying in vain to fend off Bellatrix’ increasingly savage attacks. 

_Mum,_ he wanted to cry as he watched her trip over a fallen chunk of ceiling, her tired eyes widening in shock as she stumbled. 

“ _Avada Kedavra!_ ” Albus heard a familiar voice screech and he watched as the green light struck his mother, watched her fall to the ground lifelessly as Bellatrix cackled.

Then he was in the courtyard, bodies everywhere. The smell of smoke and death stung his nose as he saw Voldemort standing in front of a huge mass of Death Eaters, the students and teachers of Hogwarts watching in mute horror. Hanging between two large Death Eaters was a slumped figure, black hair messy and stuck up in all directions, just like his own. 

_Dad._

“The great Harry Potter was caught at the edge of the forest, fleeing from battle,” Voldemort’s voice was slick and gloating. “A battle that he had started,” Voldemort looked around at all the people watching him. “All of this magical blood is on his hands. How can we ever repay him?” He turned to look at his Dad with burning red eyes. “Release him.”

The Death Eaters immediately dropped his Dad to the ground where he landed with a thud. Voldemort strode towards him and held out his boney white hand. Immediately, the Death Eater placed his Dad’s wand into his outstretched palm. Voldemort eyed it with contempt before snapping it in half and throwing it aside. Albus watched as Voldemort drew his own wand, the elder wand, before pointing it at his Dad’s limp form. 

“Goodbye, Harry Potter,” he said softly, eyes blazing. Then. “ _Avada Kedavra!_ ” Albus felt a silent scream tear out of his throat as the beam of green light blasted into his father’s chest, his lifeless green eyes dull behind his round glasses.

Suddenly he was back in his cell, only this time Lily and James were hanging from chains in the center of the room. He could hear Lily whimper in pain, watched the blood drip down her arms. James was shaking so badly that Albus could hear the chains rattle, his breath unsteady as he tried to calm their baby sister. 

“Shh, Lils, it’s going to be ok,” his auburn curls were plastered to his forehead, sticky with sweat and blood and Lily sobbed. 

“Jamie… Jamie…” Her bare feet barely touched the ground.

“Please don’t hurt her,” James begged, his eyes glazed with tears. “Please, she’s -” 

“Shut your damn mouth!” Amycus Carrow’s voice barked as he hit James across the face with as much force as he could. James’ head snapped to the side before his entire body went limp, eyes closed and fresh blood dripping from his mouth. Lily screamed and Alecto backhanded her so hard she lost her footing.

Albus was then taken outside to the grounds between the castle and the owlery. Scorpius was walking by his side, the setting sun making his platinum hair glow with a warm golden light. He was happily babbling away about the history of Gringotts, and Albus felt a small bubble of warmth blossom in his chest before he caught sight of a flash of silver and blue hair out of the corner of his eye.

“No, Scorpius, run!” He tried to scream, but no sound came out as Delphi approached, wand held out towards them.

“ _Crucio._ ” The single, horrible word was drawled. Was casual, lazy, offhanded. And Scorpius _screamed_. It started out high and shrill and terrible before deteriorating into a hoarse, keening sound, an inhuman sound. It made Albus’ skin crawl all over as he watched Scorpius’ legs give out, sending him to the ground in a horrible twitching heap. His screams cut through Albus like a knife, hurting him far more than any whip or spell or blade ever had. He could feel his raw throat burn from yelling Scorpius’ name, could hear himself sobbing as he begged Delphi to stop. 

But she didn’t stop. She kept going and going and going, not lifting it, not letting up.

“Stop! Please!” Albus cried, his lungs hollow and empty, his chest getting tighter and tighter as Scorpius wailed. Delphi just twirled her wand in a little flourish, elongating the spell and grinning madly. Then Albus tried to run to his best friend, to put himself between Scorpius and Delphi any way he could. But he was frozen to the spot, his feet refusing to move. So he was forced to watch as Delphi kept going, watched as Scorpius screamed until his voice gave way to hoarse whimpers and his trembling all but stopped. Watched the sun set behind them until the world went dark and Scorpius’ cries stopped altogether. When Delphi finally let up what felt like years later, Albus fell to his knees and sobbed.

“Scorpius! Scorpius, please!” But Scorpius didn’t respond, his wide eyes staring ahead at nothing, absolute nonsense spilling from his trembling lips. 

An unfamiliar room materialized around him, everything slick and black and shiny. He was curled up in a far corner, head resting on his knees with his chained wrists looped around them. He felt so cold and empty and tired. He heard the door open with a creak and he cringed back when Delphi walked through, his heart leaping into his throat when she was followed by Voldemort himself.

“And how are we doing today, Mr. Potter?” Voldemort gave his wand a casual flick and Albus felt his head being forced up so that he had to look directly into Voldemort’s piercing red eyes. Albus just stared listlessly and Voldemort’s eyes narrowed before Albus felt a wave of agonizing pain rip through his body. Fresh tears sprung to his eyes as he cowered. “I believe I asked you a question, boy.”

“F - fine… m - my lord,” he choked, bile burning at the back of his throat. 

Then a series of images flashed through his head at such a rapid speed that he was sure he was going to throw up.

Another celebration where he was beaten in front of a crowd of cheering Death Eaters.

Bones snapping and healing and snapping and healing over and over and over again.

Potions forced down his throat that made his insides writhe and burn, and people laughing around him.

Voldemort’s giant snake coiling around him, squeezing him until he couldn’t breathe.

Blood and pain and tears and then nothing. 

Nothing.

Albus came to with a horrible gasp, just barely managing to roll over onto his side before he vomited, acid burning up his mouth and throat and twisting his stomach in excruciating knots. He could hardly see through his tears as he sobbed, desperate weak cries hurting his chest and making his muscles seize.

“Get out of my head, get out of my head,” he moaned, the nightmarish visions still flashing through his memory. “Please stop… please… enough…” He heard Delphi shift, heard the door creak open.

“You are quite amusing Albus Potter,” she smiled. Her face was deranged, her eyes shone with a wicked light. Her next sentence was spoken softly, matter-of-factly. “I think I’m going to pay your little Scorpius a visit. I want to see what you do when I dig around inside _his_ head.” 

Darkness pressed in from all sides, squeezing the remaining air out of Albus’ bloody lungs. The world narrowed down to a point even finer than the tip of the talon-like wand that Delphi held loosely in her grip, and Albus felt himself being swallowed up by a crushing flood of horror and guilt and sheer, mind-numbing panic. He was able to push himself upright then, the pain in his back was nothing compared to the agony that was knowing Scorpius was in terrible danger and it was all his fault.

“P - please, no,” his voice was so weak, so desperate. “Please leave h-him alone. Please. I’ll - I’ll do whatever you w-want,” he swallowed down a lungful of bloody air. “I’ll… be whatever you want. Just please… don’t hurt him. Please.” He hated how much his voice shook as he stared up at Delphi. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore except keeping Scorpius away from this. Delphi stood there for a long time, her eyes traveling up and down his trembling frame. Then a smile tugged at her lips and she walked forward. Albus ducked his head, needing her to understand that he meant what he said. If it was submission she wanted, that’s what he would give her.

“You are a fool if you think you can keep him safe,” came her chilly answer and Albus couldn’t keep himself upright any longer. 

_You failed, you failed and now she’s going to hurt Scorpius,_ Albus felt his mind tear even further as he sank back to the floor, buried his face in his elbow and let out the most dreadful, broken, defeated moan as Delphi chuckled.

“Such a simple child,” she dismissed the globes of light with a wave of her wand. “You both are going to make such fascinating pets.” She paused for a moment, the silence hanging in the air like a black cloud. “I’ll see you soon, Albus” The door closed with a final thud, and Albus screamed, the sound horrible and filled with desperate grief. He knew nothing except the fact that Scorpius was going to die and there was nothing he could do to stop it. So he screamed and screamed until he had nothing left, screams giving way to sobs which gave way to whimpers which gave way to darkness at last.

___________________________________________

Scorpius couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this warm and comfortable. He buried his face deeper into his pillow with a long sigh, everything feeling heavy and slow and muffled. His brain felt like it was stuffed with several layers of thick cotton.

_What’s going on?_

He tried to think of a coherent answer but felt his thoughts skimming across his brain like whispers, loud enough to make their presence known, but not loud enough to understand. Maybe if he could just reach out and grab at one… But there were no hands inside his brain so all the thoughts continue to drift away into nothingness. Scorpius fought to pry his eyes open, his eyelids burning as he struggled. At first, he thought nothing seemed out of place as he tried desperately to blink away some of the heavy grogginess that refused to leave.

_Why am I so tired?_

Sunlight was streaming through his windows and Scorpius yawned, a cloyingly sweet taste clinging to the back of his tongue as he stretched. He still had no idea what was happening or where he was, head impossibly stuffed up and slow. It was beginning to feel like he was stuck at the bottom of a deep pool and Scorpius took an exaggerated breath as he forced himself to sit up. His head spun and he almost tipped back into his pillows, but Scorpius grabbed a hold of the sheets in front of him and stared resolutely at the wall until the room stopped wobbling around him.

_What on earth happened to me last night?_

Scorpius was beginning to become mildly frightened at his current state, so woozy he could barely sit up and unable to remember a thing about his existence before waking up. His vision still refused to clear, the edges muted and fuzzy.

_Think, Scorpius. Think!_

He grimaced as the too-sweet taste at the back of his tongue spiked in intensity. _Did I eat too many sweets before bed last night?_ Scorpius shook his head and blinked rapidly, trying desperately to shake whatever state he was in. _I’ll ask Albus, he’d know what -_

With a horrible jolt like he had been doused with a bucket of ice water, his memories rushed back in an overwhelming flood. Polly Chapman and the Blood Ball, Death Eaters everywhere, Umbridge’s toady face as she preached her pureblood nonsense, Albus’ face as he screamed and cried and bled, Snape pulling him away, the sleeping potion, Albus.

_Oh god, Albus._

Now, Scorpius had no problem jumping to his feet, ripping the blankets aside as Albus’ cries echoed in his ears. There was no way he was waiting until past curfew. He was going to get Albus right now. He scrambled to the foot of his bed and flung the trunk open, pulling on robes and socks and shoes as quickly as his numb hands could manage. 

_I need to get Albus out of here undetected,_ Scorpius looked at a heavy hooded traveling cloak he had flung aside in search of his left shoe. _It’s certainly not the greatest of disguises, but it’ll have to do._ He wrapped the thick fabric up in his arms and thought for a moment before grabbing the Quidditch jumper he’d slept in and added it to his bundle. _It’s warm and soft,_ Scorpius remembered how cold the dungeons were, and how much Albus shivered every time he saw him. He then stuffed the entire bundle into a school bag he had found under the bed, slinging it over his shoulder and turning to his bedside table.

As Scorpius jammed the time turner, wands and pain potion into his pockets, he heard the unexpected clink of glass on glass and suddenly remembered that there was one more potion from Ron left. With a shuddering sigh, he pulled out the bottle of glistening red liquid, Ron’s words floating through his memory. 

_“That red one there is a Blood-Replenishing potion, pretty self-explanatory.”_

_Good thing I didn’t use this earlier,_ Scorpius gave the room one last look as he carefully placed the potion back in his pocket. Tears burned in his eyes as he let his fingers linger against the cool glass. _Because I’m definitely going to need it now._

Scorpius felt nothing as he left the only safe space he’d known for the duration of this nightmare. He knew he wouldn’t be coming back, knew that he was about to begin the journey home, and that gave him all the energy he needed to get through the common room and into the corridor without turning around, rushing back, and burying himself under the covers. Hogwarts was quieter than it had been the entire time Scorpius had been forced to stay here. He kept expecting to cross paths with at least one other student as he hurried along, but he didn’t encounter a single soul. His heart leapt when even the stairway to the deeper dungeons was free of anyone, especially the Death Eater guards.

_I suppose everyone decided to sleep in after last night._ Scorpius suppressed a shudder just remembering the jeers and rabid excitement of the students at the Blood Ball. _Good. A speck of luck is always appreciated._

As he slowly crept down the dank staircase, he was surprised to not feel the usual frigid presence of the dementor. Scorpius took a few cautious steps down the corridor, eyes peeled for the horrifying creature and every nerve on high alert, but he was met with nothing. The dementor was nowhere to be seen. 

_That’s a bit odd._

He kept his wand drawn anyway, not trusting his tiny bit of luck to hold out as the rows of barred doors came into view, a few torches casting a weak flickering glow against the rough stones. Scorpius stopped outside the sickeningly familiar cell door, wand frozen halfway. _He is going to be so much worse than I can possibly imagine,_ Scorpius could feel his hands start to go cold, every part of him suddenly feeling tingly and slow. Then the horrible thought crossed his mind. What if Albus wasn’t here? What if they had taken him somewhere else? What if he was… Scorpius gave his head a rough shake. _I am not going to even think like that._ He squared his shoulders and raised his wand the rest of the way.

“ _Alohomora,_ ” The door clicked and Scorpius pushed it open with a trembling hand. It was then that he heard the crying, broken little sobs and halted mumbling that sent his heart plunging into his toes. “Albus?” Scorpius could barely breathe as he stepped into the cell. Light from the torches in the hallway spilled in after him and he had to throw out a hand to steady himself against the wall. He had been right. This was so much worse than he could have possibly imagined.

Albus was laying on his side on the filthy stones with his back to the door. Scorpius felt himself grow faint at the sight of the horrible web of damage that spread across his back and shoulders. There were far too many stripes to count, bloody and raw, all crossing over one another and colored with bruises so dark against Albus’ pale skin. He was shaking as Scorpius took an unsteady step forward.

“Albus?” He tried again, his voice trembling and small. “Albus, it’s Scorpius.” He took another step before Albus flinched and attempted to curl in on himself, his stuttering voice growing more desperate as he cried.

“Just let me die, p-please… please. I can’t - I c-can’t… Just kill me, please just kill me.”

Scorpius felt something in him shatter as his legs threatened to give out from under him. “Albus?” he choked out, despair clawing up his frozen insides. “No, no, no…” Scorpius stumbled around until he was in front of Albus before falling to his knees. Albus’ eyes were squeezed shut, tears leaking down his temple and pooling at the bridge of his broken nose. His wrists were rubbed raw and ripped apart from the cuffs and his right hand and forearm were tucked up against his chest in a feeble attempt at protection. He continued to weakly plead, a nonstop string of terror that Scorpius didn’t even begin to comprehend.

“G-get out of my head… get out. No, n-no stop. Please don’t. I’m s-s-sorry. Please d-don’t hurt him.”

_What if they went too far?_ He felt a horrible sick feeling settle in his chest. _What if he’s…_ Albus twitched and Scorpius’ breath squeezed out of his lungs. _What if he’s been driven mad?_

“Albus, please,” Scorpius desperately reached out to lay a gentle hand against Albus’ cheek. “Please just open your eyes. Look at me, please.” The second he made contact with Albus’ skin, Albus jerked away with a broken cry and Scorpius pulled back like he’d been burned. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” he watched as Albus shivered, his face twisted up in horrible fear. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do…” 

Not knowing what else to do, Scorpius lowered himself the rest of the way to the ground, laying on his side next to Albus so that his face was clearly within Albus’ sight if he decided to open his eyes. “Alright, no touching. Got it. But I need you to listen, Albus,” he spoke as gently and clearly as he could, watching Albus’ face for any signs that he was listening. “It’s Scorpius. I’m here. It’s time to go home now, and I need you to come back to me. You know I can’t do this alone. I have the time turner and something warm for you to put on, but I need you to open your eyes.” Scorpius could feel his own eyes grow wet as the burning in the back of his throat intensified. “Please open your eyes, Albus. It’s time to go home. It’s time to go home to your Mum and Dad and James and Lily. Please. Please, it’s just me.”

Scorpius didn’t know how long he laid there, talking and pleading and praying, but eventually he noticed that he only heard the sound of his own voice echoing in the cell and that Albus’ whimpers had stopped. Fearing the worst, his eyes darted down to see if Albus was still breathing. After confirming that his chest was still rising and falling steadily, Scorpius looked back up only to be met with familiar green eyes staring back at him, dull with exhaustion and defeat, but focused on him nonetheless.

“Scorpius?” Relief hit Scorpius so hard he felt weak at the sound of Albus’ raspy, quiet voice.

“Yes,” he felt a smile begin to tug at the corners of his lips as Albus took in a few deep breaths. “Yes, it’s me.” Albus stared at him for a moment longer before reaching out his uninjured hand, a desperate light shining in his eyes. 

“S-Scorpius…” Without hesitation, Scorpius reached out his own hand and Albus immediately grabbed a hold of him, squeezing with more force than Scorpius was expecting. “You’re real?”

“Yes,” Scorpius gently squeezed back. “Yes, I’m real.”

“You’re o-ok?” Albus brought their intertwined hands to rest under his chin. His skin was so cold Scorpius almost flinched.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Scorpius confirmed. “It’s time to go home.”

“Home?” 

“Home.” Scorpius carefully pushed himself up off the ground, still keeping his firm hold on Albus’ hand. “Can you sit up?” He saw fear flash across Albus’ face for a brief moment before it was replaced with determination.

“Yes,” Albus started to attempt to pull himself up, but the movement pulled at the wounds on his back and he sank back to the floor with a groan, his face going impossibly paler. “I… I…”

“Let me help,” Scorpius could feel his heart breaking at the sight of his best friend so defeated, but as soon as he reached out his other hand, Albus cringed away with a gasp. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Scorpius repeated over and over again, trying to calm Albus down even as he felt his own panic begin to rear its ugly head. How much time had he spent down here already? How much longer did they have before someone else showed up? “I’m just going to help you up, Albus.” He reached out again, slowly and carefully. This time Albus let him hook his other hand under his arm before gently easing him up and into a seated position. Even though Scorpius tried so hard to be careful, Albus winced and cried out as he shifted off of the floor, shivering horribly from the effort.

“Just leave me, Scorp,” Albus choked out, fixing Scorpius with a hopeless stare. “You n-need to go, and I’m only going to slow you d-down.”

“You stop that right now,” Scorpius said quickly, his squeaky voice betraying his panic. “There is no way I am leaving you anywhere, so you need to get that idea out of your head right quick.”

“But I’m going to slow you down,” Albus responded, his voice equally as panicked. “And I’ll g-get you caught. Please, Scorp, p-please. She’s coming for you.” Scorpius found himself caught off guard by this new confession.

“Who is? Umbridge?” But Albus just shook his head. “Well, no matter.” Scorpius didn’t have time for this. “I’m not leaving you behind and that’s final. End of conversation.” Just then, Albus let out a horrible scream and doubled over, releasing his grip on Scorpius’ hand to cradle his injured arm to his chest. “Albus? What is it?” Scorpius was going to choke on his panic as Albus shuddered through what looked like an awful spasm.

“Hurts,” he said pathetically. “Everything h-hurts.” 

“Oh, I think I can help with some of that,” without thinking, Scorpius pulled out his wand and gestured with it towards Albus’ bloody face. “At least your nose and maybe your hand? I learned this new spell to fix broken bones and I -” Albus immediately flinched away, letting out a horrible screech when his torn back collided with the wall behind him.

“Don’t!” he begged, eyes squeezed shut and hands shaking terribly.

“Oh no, oh _Merlin_ , Albus,” Scorpius felt a wave of anger at himself for not thinking as he stuffed his wand back into his pocket.

_You’re an absolute idiot, Scorpius Malfoy_ , he berated. _Let’s just stick your wand in the face of someone who’s been tortured for a week. What could possibly go wrong there?_

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t think,” Scorpius spoke softly. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” Albus was tugging at his hair with his good hand, tears of pain streaming down his cheeks. “It won’t happen again, I promise.” 

“S ok,” Albus gasped. “Accident.” 

“But now I’ve made everything worse and you’re in pain…” Scorpius stopped when Albus delicately rested his uninjured hand on Scorpius’ knee.

“S ok,” he repeated, lips twitching in an attempted smile. Scorpius tried to smile back. 

“Ok,” Scorpius echoed weakly. “No wands. But I am going to reach into my pocket for something else, alright?” He waited for Albus to nod before digging both potions out of his robes. “I’ve got the rest of the pain potion right here,” Scorpius fumbled to remove the stopper from the sparkling blue bottle. “And then there’s this red one Ron said was a Blood Replenishing potion. You should probably take that as well…” He trailed off when Albus shook his head. “What do you mean, no?”

“Water,” Albus’ voice cracked. “Please.” Scorpius wanted to smack himself.

“Of course, of course. Here,” he gently pressed the open bottle into Albus’ left hand. “Take this real quick while I get the water.” Scorpius could’ve cried when Albus swallowed the potion without complaint, face twisting ever so slightly at the taste. With a quick wave of his wand, Scorpius summoned the thankfully still present water jug over to his side just as Albus dropped the empty bottle to the ground.

_That was supposed to be three days worth…_ Scorpius thought with mild concern as he held out the water. Just like before, nothing appeared to happen at first. Albus continued to tremble, small pained sounds stuttering out of his bloody mouth as he drained the jug dry at least twice before tucking his face into his knees. But then, Scorpius watched as every ounce of tension melted off of Albus’ gaunt frame and he let out a deep sigh.

“Better?” Scorpius asked, resisting the urge to reach out and touch Albus’ shoulder.

“Mmm-hmm,” Albus slurred, picking his head up to look at Scorpius with a vaguely dazed expression. His eyes were too bright now, their glassy sheen twisting something in Scorpius’ stomach. “Feeeeels great.”

“Erm, good. That’s good,” Scorpius was beginning to fear that it wasn’t good, that Albus had just overdosed on a wickedly strong pain potion, but there was nothing he could think to do about it at the moment except to hold out the remaining vial. “Think you’re up to taking this one too?” Albus didn’t hesitate to reach out, hand missing the bottle several times before Scorpius guided him to it. He drank this one as well, an immediate flush of color blooming across his cheeks as the potion took effect. “Good…” Scorpius could feel the ice in his chest begin to thaw as Albus took another sip of water, hands still impossibly shaky. 

A sudden clatter from somewhere down the corridor snapped Scorpius to attention. “Albus, we need to get going. Now.” He dragged his bag across the floor, pulling out the mass of fabric before shaking the jumper loose. “I don’t know if you’re going to want to put this on, what with your back and all, but it is rather cold down here and the jumper is quite warm and I thought you might like something soft since, well. Just thought you’d like it.” Scorpius knew he was rambling, but Albus didn’t seem to mind. He pulled the jumper into his arms and buried his face in it for a moment.

“S’nice,” he mumbled, voice muffled by the soft fabric. “Smells like you.” Scorpius felt his cheeks heat up as he helped Albus pull his arms through the sleeves. It was a daunting task as Albus still seemed incredibly stiff and achy, his limbs refusing to cooperate with him.

“Might’ve slept in it,” he muttered and he held out the cloak next. He watched as Albus’ eyes went wide, unconsciously reaching up to brush his fingers against his horribly bruised throat.

_Oh Merlin, Albus…_ Scorpius could see Albus struggle to push his fear down, stuck halfway between wanting the warmth and protection the cloak offered and being absolutely terrified of having anything come close to touching his injured neck. 

“You only have to wear it until we get to the Potions classroom,” Scorpius tried. “Then you can take it off. It’s not that far away.” Albus seemed incapable of speaking, but he nodded, a quick jerky confirmation being all Scorpius needed to wrap the cloak around his shoulders. “It’s alright, Albus, it’s just me,” he continued his comforting mantra as he slowly reached back to pull the hood up over Albus’ head, the thick black fabric almost obscuring his face completely. Albus was shaking again, his breaths coming hard and fast as he reached up to tug at the material touching his neck. “You can do this,” Scorpius said firmly, both to Albus and himself as he got ready for possibly the most difficult part of their plan. “Alright, we need to get up and go, now.”

He was expecting Albus to cringe away when he reached for him, but another noise from down the corridor erased any time Scorpius had to convince him that this was the only way. “Albus, I’m so sorry but we have to go right now,” Scorpius grabbed a hold of Albus’ left wrist as gently as he could, pulling his arm across his shoulders before gripping Albus’ hip with his other hand. “We’re going to stand up now,” Scorpius forced out as Albus stiffened, a tiny whine squeaking out of his throat. “Ready? One, two, three!” He staggered to his feet, thrown off balance not because of how heavy Albus was, but because he wasn’t as heavy as Scorpius had expected. Albus had always been the smaller one, Scorpius thought as Albus slowly relaxed against him. Now, he was positively skeletal, his boney hip digging into Scorpius’ side.

They took a moment to readjust and for Albus to find his footing, legs threatening to give out no matter what he did. “Scorp,” his words were garbled and soft. “Jus’ leave me.”

“Albus Severus Potter,” Scorpius did his best to look down at his friend whose head was drooping against Scorpius’ shoulder. “I will not leave you. Not now, not ever.”

“Stubborn…” Albus struggled to pick his head up.

“Thank you,” Scorpius felt a hint of a smile tug at his mouth. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Scorpius’ heart was pounding in his throat as they stepped out into the hallway, the torchlight throwing exaggerated shadows against every surface. Albus was trying, he really was. Scorpius could hear his labored breathing, could feel it puffing against his neck as he struggled to walk. But between the serious injuries, probable muscle damage, and the fact that he hadn’t been able to really walk in over a week meant that Scorpius was doing most of the heavy lifting. Albus let out a particularly loud whimper as Scorpius readjusted his grip on Albus’ wrist and his right leg buckled, sending them both stumbling forward.

“Shhh,” Scorpius tried to sound comforting. He couldn’t imagine how much this was hurting Albus, but his panic was beginning to choke him and he didn’t know if his pulse could race any faster. He was so cold, so bloody cold that his teeth were beginning to chatter. Scorpius didn’t know if it was the impending doom hanging over his head, or maybe it was the knowledge that he quite literally held Albus’ life in his hands, but he was beginning to feel not so good in the slightest. His chest felt hollow, that same dreadful emptiness that he had felt for months after his Mum had died. The air was turning to ice around him, he couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t he get the image of her empty eyes out of his head? 

That’s when Albus screamed, his whole body going rigid as he pressed impossibly closer to Scorpius. “What are you -” Scorpius looked up in a panic seconds before he heard the sound of a nauseatingly familiar ragged groan. The sound of it made Scorpius sway on his feet. 

_Shit._

Scorpius looked around wildly, feeling his blood run even colder when he finally caught sight of the thing. It was swooping down the corridor and headed straight for Albus. Scorpius felt his eyes burn as he dragged Albus backward with him, the white fog beginning to clog up his senses.

_How could I forget the bloody dementor?_

Albus was sobbing into his shoulder, an endless stream of, “G-get out of my head, get out of m-my head. Please don’t, p-please leave him alone. Don’t hurt him. I c-can’t, I can’t. Please Mum, p-please help. J-Jamie, Lily, noo. Don’t t-touch them. D-Dad, where’s Dad?” Scorpius shook his head, trying to force back the sound of his mother calling for his help. Right now, Albus needed his help. The dementor dove closer, its horrible rattling breath seeming to pull the air from Scorpius’ lungs.

“Hang on, Albus!” Scorpius cried, letting him go as gently as he could. Albus immediately pushed himself up against the wall, curled into the tiniest ball he could manage. Feeling faint, Scorpius drew his wand and tried to take a steadying breath.

_Happy memories, happy memories._

Scorpius remembered his mother sitting in her garden, bathed in sunlight and a peaceful smile on her face as she read to him from one of her favorite books. He could almost smell the lavender. Scorpius focused on that warm, happy, loved feeling and channeled every ounce of it into his cry.

“ _Expecto patronum! Ex-expecto patro-_ ” A silvery whisp whooshed out on the tip of his wand before it vanished into the darkness, his mother’s voice along with it. All he could hear was Albus sobbing behind him as the dementor reached out one rotted hand. A paralyzing terror took hold of him and he couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. All he could see was his mother’s empty eyes, remembering what they looked like as the light left them.

“P-p-pleeease,” Albus’ voice cut through the fog in Scorpius’ head, and then it hit him.

Albus, choosing him over Rose, sitting with him even though he knew Scorpius was a Malfoy. The warmth that settled deep in his belly when Albus was sorted into Slytherin alongside him. That first night in the dorms, the entire contents of Scorpius’ bag of sweets spread out across the satin sheets as he and Albus ate through every single one of them. Knowing that he had found a friend. Albus’ face, covered in freckles and full of life and color, splitting into a huge grin when Scorpius said something stupid. 

Scorpius whipped around and leveled his wand directly at the dementor’s head.

“ _EXPECTO PATRONUM!_ ” he yelled, his voice strong and steady. And out from the end of his wand burst a blinding, brilliant, enormous silver creature and Scorpius had to screw up his eyes at the sheer brightness of it. He was suddenly overwhelmed by a wash of warmth as his patronus lunged towards the dementor. It was so large that Scorpius was having a hard time making out what it was until it unfurled impossibly huge wings and raked at the dementor with brilliant claws. There, taking up the entire corridor in front of him, was a dazzling silver dragon.

_An opaleye,_ Scorpius thought faintly, noting the distinct scale pattern as the dementor fled into the shadows. The gigantic creature turned its head towards him and stared at him with deep silver eyes. Slowly it bowed its head. And then Scorpius realized.

“Hi, Dad,” he whispered as he stretched out one trembling hand. It felt like a very warm, dense mist and Scorpius sucked in a shaky breath at the sensation. Warmth in his belly. Satin under his fingers. Pepper Imps on his tongue.

“S-Scorpius?”

Albus’ exhausted voice jerked Scorpius out of the moment. He yanked his hand back and the dragon vanished. He whipped around to see Albus looking up at him from his spot on the floor, his eyes were too bright and too green, mouth slightly open. “Was… what was…”

“We’ll unpack all of that later,” Scorpius hastily shoved his wand back in his pocket and reached down to begin the process of helping Albus to his feet. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off, leaving Scorpius’ entire body clammy and weak. “Right now, we really need to be getting on.”

“And just what are you up to today, Mr. Malfoy?” The familiar voice like wind through reeds caused the hair on the back of Scorpius’ neck to stand on end and he slowly turned around. The imposing figure of Professor Rowle was emerging from the shadows behind him, one eyebrow arched in vague interest as she looked him over. “Was last night’s entertainment not enough for you?”

“Erm, ah…” Scorpius was fumbling badly and he knew it. But he couldn’t think. Not after what had just happened. Not when they were so close and yet still so far from being home. Albus had gone unnaturally still next to him. Scorpius couldn’t even hear his panicked breathing anymore. “It… just… gave me some new ideas,” Scorpius said lamely, his ability to become the Scorpion King too far gone.

“Be that as it may, Mr. Malfoy,” Rowle’s quiet voice was giving him goosebumps. “You should know better than to be wandering down here when the Augurey is in the castle.” Scorpius covered Albus’ sudden gasp with a series of exaggerated coughs before fixing Rowle with a quizzical look, internally cringing at his lame attempt at distraction.

“I hadn’t realized that the Augurey had arrived,” Scorpius was beginning to grow jittery as Albus shifted against the wall. 

_Just hold on, Albus._

“And seeing as she is looking for you specifically, I would head to the Headmistress’ office right away, if I were you.” This time there was no hiding Albus’ petrified moan as he started to tremble violently, horrible little hiccuping cries filling the corridor. Scorpius watched Rowle’s cold eyes flare as she plunged her hand into her robes, seeming to notice Albus’ huddled form for the first time. “And what have we here?” She took a step towards them, Scorpius’ pulse pounding in his ears.

“Oh, you know,” he casually stepped up to meet Rowle, trying to put himself between her and Albus as inconspicuously as possible. “Bowker here’s work has been a bit shoddy as of late,” Scorpius forced his face into a mildly put out sneer. “I figured he needed to be taught that an unsatisfactory job is unacceptable.” 

“Have you learned your lesson, Mr. Bowker?” Rowle’s stare was flat like a shark’s would be. Scorpius could hardly breathe. He risked a glance behind him. Albus was nodding his head fearfully, the large hood still obscuring most of his face. “Good work, Mr. Malfoy.” Scorpius hated the hungry twitch developing at the corner of Rowle’s mouth. He was unable to force a response out of his dry throat, so he hoped she would accept a nod as an answer.

_Just go away,_ Scorpius thought as Rowle took entirely too long to stare down at Albus’ shuddering form.

“Get this thing where he belongs,” Rowle finally pocketed her wand and straightened up, seemingly satisfied. “We wouldn’t want him mucking up the hallways with his filth, now would we.”

“N-no, Professor,” Scorpius tried to keep his stuttering under control. They weren’t out of the woods yet. “I’ll be sure he gets back to where he belongs.” Rowle gave him one last piercing look before turning on her heel and drifting down the corridor towards the other cells. Scorpius waited until her footsteps stopped echoing off of the walls, and then waited for a few moments more before dropping to his knees in front of Albus, already fighting back the urge to pull his friend into the tightest of hugs. “Albus, Albus she’s gone,” Scorpius whispered, his hands fluttering nervously. Albus continued to tremble and cry, the tiny whimpers tearing a hole in Scorpius’ heart.

“T-this was a mistake,” he choked as he reached out to grab a hold of Scorpius’ hand. “S-she’s looking for you. You n-need to go.” Albus’ shivering had pushed his hood back so Scorpius could see his helpless eyes wide with fright and glazed from the potion.

“Well, whoever she is, she can wait,” Scorpius didn’t miss the way Albus cringed back at the mention of this mystery woman. But that was absolutely another question for another time. Scorpius had had enough of terrifying women for a lifetime, thank you very much. “And yes, I agree _we_ need to go,” he emphasized as he squeezed Albus’ hand. “Didn’t you remember? I’m not leaving you behind.” He reached out and carefully readjusted the cloak’s hood. “Let’s go home.”

Getting Albus to his feet was more difficult this time, the dementor appearing to have sapped what little strength he had left. And Scorpius was finding himself shaky and sore as well, the patronus taking more out of him than he had expected. But Albus was still trying, pushing his legs to support him as much as he possibly could. His innate Potter stubbornness hadn’t been fully crushed out of him yet. 

But the trek to the Potions classroom was longer than he remembered. And between the fear of getting caught that was so strong he felt sick and Albus’ slowly dwindling energy, it felt like hours before they rounded the last corner. Scorpius was practically dragging Albus along next to him by the time he finally reached the wooden door. Not having any free hands with which to open the door, Scorpius settled for kicking at it several times until he heard movement from within the room.

It hadn’t crossed his mind before then to potentially warn Albus of what was about to happen, but before he had time to open his mouth, the door swung open to reveal a rather disgruntled Severus Snape. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy, how can I be of service this time? I thought I told you to…” It was then that Snape realized Scorpius wasn’t alone and his eyes widened slightly. “Malfoy, what -”

“We need to go. Now, professor,” Scorpius said hastily as Albus stiffened at the sound of a new voice. “We can’t wait any longer.” He adjusted his hold on Albus’ hip. “I’m not making him wait any longer.”

“Is that…?” Snape stared at Albus with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Yes,” Scorpius hissed, “And he’s in a bad way, as I’m sure you know. So please let us in before someone else sees us.” Snape wasted no time in stepping aside, ushering them into the room as he gave the corridor a cautious glance before locking the door behind them. Scorpius nearly stumbled when Albus suddenly dug his heels into the floor with a sharp gasp, cringing impossibly closer as he took in his surroundings.

_Of course,_ Scorpius sighed. _The last time he was in a classroom didn’t go so well, now did it._

“It’s alright, Albus,” Scorpius murmured as Snape swept to the front of the classroom. “It’s just us.”

“Who saw you, Malfoy?” Snape had drawn his wand and was twisting it in a series of complicated patterns, items on his desk rearranging themselves and the chalkboard wiping itself clean. Albus was shaking so badly that Scorpius was having a hard time holding on to him. His hood had slipped down sometime during their rushed entrance to the Potions room, his eyes locked on the Professor standing in front of them.

“Professor Rowle stopped us in the dungeons, but I think I was able to fool her,” Scorpius stammered.

“You _think_ you were able to fool her?” Snape’s disbelief was palpable as he turned around to fix Scorpius with an incredulous look. “Of all the irresponsible -” 

“S-sorry… sorry… sorry…” Albus cowered away from Snape’s anger, a string of desperate pleas slipping out of his bloody mouth. Scorpius watched as Snape immediately deflated, his eyes flickering over to Albus before he sighed.

“I was able to fool her,” Scorpius said forcefully. “She let us go. She did mention something about the Augurey though. She said they were looking for me?” Scorpius didn’t miss the way Albus stilled at the mention of the Augurey, fought to ignore the way he buried his face in Scorpius’ shoulder with a whine. He kept his eyes locked on Snape. “Who is the Augurey and why do they want to see me? And why is Albus so scared of them?”

Snape let out a string of curses as he rubbed at his face. “We need to move, now.”

“That didn’t answer either of my questions, professor,” Scorpius started forward as Snape picked up a piece of chalk to begin opening the doorway. But Snape didn’t respond. 

“Not now, Malfoy,” he said sharply as the door swung open. “If the Augurey truly is looking for you, we don’t have much time.”

“Scorpius…” Albus was once again staring up at Snape with huge eyes. “W-what’s… how -” 

“Shhh,” Scorpius rubbed his thumb against Albus’ wrist. “It’s going to be fine. Trust me.” 

“Scorp… is t-that?” Albus stuttered.

“Albus Severus Potter,” Scorpius said softly, “Meet Severus Snape.” He watched as the two looked at each other, Snape’s eyes unusually bright. 

“Y-you,” Albus breathed. “It was you.” Scorpius looked at Albus in confusion as Snape raised his eyebrow, apparently just as perplexed as Scorpius himself. 

“Albus, what-” Scorpius started before Albus cut him off.

“The w-water,” he continued. “It was you.” Snape’s silence was all the confirmation Albus needed. “Thank you.” Scorpius’ throat constricted with emotion as the realization of what Snape had done for Albus sunk in.

_The refilling jug of water in the cell. Snape put that there._

Snape remained silent and Albus ducked his head back into Scorpius’ shoulder, having said what he wanted to say. “Yes, thank you, Professor,” Scorpius choked. “Thank you for keeping your word.” 

“ _Now,_ Malfoy,” Snape forced out, gesturing towards the opened doorway. “Time is short as it is.”

“Okay Albus, we’re going through that door,” Scorpius explained as he stumbled to the front of the classroom, Albus’ legs having given up some time ago. “Your Aunt and Uncle are waiting for us. They’re going to help us go home.” He felt Albus nod against his shoulder.

Getting through the blackboard proved to be a challenge. The opening was only wide enough for one person to go through at a time, and Albus was incapable of lifting his feet to get over the ledge. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Scorpius murmured as he pulled Albus through the doorway after him as gently as he could, unable to avoid whacking his ankles against the slate. Albus barely winced as Scorpius staggered underneath his dead weight, the only thing keeping him from sprawling into the dirt was a pair of strong, warm hands catching a hold of him as he fell.

“Steady there, Malfoy,” Scorpius regained his footing without losing his grip on Albus, his arms already numb and trembling from the exertion of keeping Albus standing. “Almost got a mouthful of mud there, didn’t you.”

“Thank you,” Scorpius nodded his thanks to Ron as he turned his attention back to Albus to see how he was reacting to yet another change in scenery, but all of Albus’ focus was on the figure who had steadied them.

“Weasley,” Hermione’s voice came from over near the map on the wall. “Are you quite finished? There are a few more details we need to finalize.” Ron made to go back to Hermione’s side before Albus’ choked whimper stopped him in his tracks.

“Uncle Ron?” Scorpius watched Ron whip around, his face going white as he noticed Albus staring at him. Albus’ face was just as pale, silent tears streaming down his cheeks. “U-Uncle Ron.”

“Bloody hell,” Ron was on his knees in front of Albus immediately, hands reaching out to touch before freezing when Albus flinched. “You must be… christ, you look just like -”

“Weasley!” Hermione tried again, finally turning around to see where Ron had gone. “If you’re quite… ready…” She too trailed off as she realized who she was looking at. “My god.”

“Aunt Hermione,” Albus was shaking so hard that Scorpius was afraid he was going to lose his grip. He heard Snape close the door behind them, but he was too busy watching the reunion happening in front of him.

“Albus,” Hermione breathed out in disbelief, her eyes shining. “It’s so good to see you at last.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Real?” Albus’ fingers twitched against Scorpius’ shoulder. “S-Scorp?”

“Yes,” Scorpius’ eyes burned when Albus let out a relieved little sob. “Yes, they’re real.”

“Merlin, you look so much like your Dad,” Ron breathed. “You’ve got those Weasley freckles, though.” Hermione was smiling, but it was sorrowful and distant. 

“He’s so young,” her voice cracked. “They’re both so young.” 

“While this reunion is incredibly touching, the Augurey is in the castle as we speak, so if you don’t mind hurrying this along.” Despite his cool expression, Snape’s voice betrayed his anxiety as he examined the map hanging on the wall. Scorpius’ legs were starting to shake and he tried to shift his weight, his left knee buckling dangerously.

_ Would be nice to have some of the Scorpion King’s famed athleticism, _ Scorpius didn’t even have the energy to smile. He was wearing out, and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep this up for much longer. The heaviest thing Scorpius had carried up until now had been an overstuffed school bag, and he feared that his limited strength was going to result in disaster for both Albus and himself. 

“Uncle Ron,” Albus was struggling to get his legs back under him as Ron heaved himself to his feet. “Don’t g-go.”

“Just going over to the map there,” Ron wiped at his eyes and gave Albus a watery grin. “Won’t be far.” He had hardly taken two steps when Scorpius’ legs finally gave out and he staggered forward with an alarmed cry, trying to force his screaming muscles to remain upright. In an instant the adults surged forward, Ron catching Scorpius under his arms and steadying him against his chest. Albus let out a choked whimper when Ron’s arm brushed against his back and pulled at the cloak still fastened around his neck . “Woah, easy there, mate,” Scorpius tried to shake his head free of the horrible burned out feeling that seemed to be a permanent state no matter how long he slept. 

“Over here, Weasley,” Hermione’s voice prompted Ron to begin guiding Scorpius away from where he had been standing, Albus still firmly in his grip.

“The cloak,” Scorpius tried to communicate as Ron helped them stumble over to a worn cot in the far corner of the room. “It’s hurting him.” The words were hardly out of his mouth when Ron reached forward with one hand to remove the cloak from around Albus’ neck. He sucked in a breath through his teeth as his eyes widened in shock.

“Bloody hell.” 

“Albus, I’m going to help you lay you down, alright?” Scorpius was ready to collapse himself, and the dingy cot was looking incredibly inviting. Albus’ shivering had intensified and he could only nod. “Is your stomach alright?” Albus gave him another feeble nod, his eyes darting from Ron to Hermione to Snape and then back to Ron who looked at a loss for what to do. “Albus, your Uncle Ron is going to help me get you comfortable.” Scorpius collapsed onto the edge of the cot and finally let go of Albus’ wrist, his fingers cramping horribly. Albus immediately curled up against his side and Ron once again knelt down in front of them.

“I’m just going to help you swing your legs up there,” he said softly. “I won’t hurt you.” Unfortunately, even though Ron was incredibly gentle, Albus stiffened and whined in pain as both Ron and Scorpius helped him finally lay down on his stomach with his head resting in Scorpius’ lap. Ron gave the two of them one final devastated look before rushing over to the other adults who had drifted back over to the map. 

Scorpius felt numb and painfully on edge all at the same time as he stared blankly ahead, his world narrowing down to the frantic beating of his heart and the comforting weight of Albus’ head against his legs. They were going home. It wouldn’t be long now. They were really going home. He could feel a dampness beginning to soak into the knee of his trousers and Scorpius looked down, the sudden movement pulling at his aching shoulders. Albus was silently sobbing, his eyes drooping with exhaustion and mouth pressed tightly closed, tears rolling sideways down his face to Scorpius’ leg below. The back of Albus’ green jumper was a sodden brown, his blood seeping into the knitted fabric. 

“Merlin, Albus,” Scorpius whispered, ferociously blinking back tears. “We just can’t catch a break, can we.” Albus choked on a shuddering breath and before Scorpius even realized what he was doing, he reached down and took Albus’ uninjured hand in his own, his heart giving a tiny jump when Albus laced their fingers together and squeezed. Scorpius sat there for a moment, the adults’ hushed conversation muffled in the background.

“Tired,” Albus whispered. “M so tired.”

“Me too,” Scorpius replied. “But we can’t sleep yet. We have to be ready to go, alright?” Albus nodded, but Scorpius could tell he was fighting a losing battle with his heavy eyelids. “Stay with me, Albus.” Scorpius ran his thumb along Albus’ hand. “Did I ever tell you about the time my family went on vacation and my Dad tried to do the laundry the muggle way, to impress my mother of course, and he put his nicest white dress shirt in with Mum’s red silk blouse?”

So Scorpius allowed himself to ramble as he fondly remembered the way Dad had been so proud at doing something the muggle way, and how his face had frozen at the sight of his now pink shirt. His Mum had laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks and Scorpius felt warm knowing that he could still remember her laugh. Albus continued to cry as Scorpius spoke, but his breathing was becoming more even and his fingers were still moving against the back of Scorpius’ hand. And right now, that was enough. 

“Oh, Albus, I’m sorry I completely forgot to offer,” Scorpius looked up to see Hermione approaching them, her hand reaching into her coat pocket. “I’m afraid I can’t do much, but I can fix up your nose and your hand. Thanks to Weasley here, I’ve gotten quite good at broken bones.” She withdrew her wand and held it loosely at her side. “I can start wherever you’d like me to.” Scorpius didn’t think, didn’t realize what sort of consequences his actions could have. Albus let out a horribly desperate whimper and the next thing Scorpius knew he was bent over Albus’ head with a wand in his hand, staring up at their attackers with as much feral rage as he could muster.

“Get back,” he growled, Albus trembling in his lap. Something dark had sprung to life in his chest, its murky tentacles twisting deep into his mind.

_ No more.  _ Scorpius could feel the warmth from the wand in his hand coursing up his arm.  _ No one is touching him ever again. _

“Scorpius.” 

He felt dangerous. He felt powerful. Scorpius knew without a shadow of a doubt that if someone tried to do a single thing to them right now, he was capable of making them regret it.

“Mr. Malfoy, stand down.” 

The red haze melted away from the edges of his vision and he was suddenly looking into the incredibly uneasy eyes of Hermione Granger, her wand now pointed at his face.

_ Oh god…  _

“Sorry,” Scorpius immediately felt everything drain away and he let out a heavy sigh, slowly sitting up and lowering his wand. “He doesn’t like wands in his face, even if it’s for something like healing. Believe me, I already tried.”

“Of course,” Hermione had the decency to look apologetic as she straightened up and put her wand away. It wasn’t until then that Scorpius noticed both Snape and Ron standing behind her with their own wands drawn, tension radiating from every inch of their bodies. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I wasn’t thinking.” Scorpius watched as Ron and Hermione shared an odd look before Snape fixed him with a stare that almost knocked the air from his lungs. He looked scared and Scorpius realized how terrifying it must have been for these adults to have had him draw his wand on them. They were the only remaining resistance fighters in this dark world, and the Scorpion King was a truly evil person. They had done a big thing, believing him, helping him, inviting him into their only hiding place. They had put all their trust in him and his word that he wasn’t who this world said he was. And he had threatened them. 

“Scorpius,” Hermoine’s quiet voice pulled his attention and he looked up into her concerned face. “Has his hair always looked like this?” Scorpius stared at her for a moment, mind bogged down and slow with exhaustion. 

“I’m sorry?” he asked, thinking he must have misheard her. Why would Hermione be asking about Albus’ hair? “I’m afraid I don’t understand.” Hermione simply looked down, and Scorpius followed her gaze. At first, he had absolutely no idea what Hermione was getting on about. Albus’ thick, dark hair was tangled and dirty to be sure, but Scorpius thought that was to be expected. “I mean, normally he’s brushed it?” Scorpius felt slow and slightly irritated. “But I can’t imagine Umbridge allowed him a hairbrush, do you?” Albus shifted at the mention of the headmistress, and Scorpius squeezed his hand comfortingly. 

“Scorpius,” Hermione said again, soothing and calm. “I didn’t mean to offend. I’ll be more clear. I was referring to the white at his temples there. Has it always been that way?” Scorpius looked again, and felt a strange sensation twist in his chest when he saw that the hair at Albus’ temples was indeed white, the pale color so strange and out of place.

“No,” Scorpius resisted the urge to reach up and touch Albus’ hair. “What… I don’t understand.”

“I was afraid you would say that,” Hermione closed her eyes briefly. “You see -”

“Granger, if you’re quite finished,” Snape sounded truly irritated and Hermione made to stand up.

“Wait!” Scorpius reached out and grabbed a hold of her sleeve. “What does this mean?” Hermione’s eyes darted over towards the map, clearly trying to make her escape. “Please, Hermione. Please tell me what’s happened to him.”

“It’s a common symptom of excessive subjugation to the Cruciatus Curse,” Hermione sighed. “Very excessive.” Scorpius struggled to swallow past the lump in his throat, unable to look into Hermione’s apologetic eyes any longer. “The mental strain of enduring the curse for so long sometimes results in, well -”

“I see,” he whispered. “Thank you for your honesty.”

“Scorpius, I’m -”

“Sometime today, Granger!”

“They need you over there,” Scorpius said quietly. “Go ahead. We’re fine.” Hermione looked like she wanted to say more, but decided against it and walked away, leaving Scorpius alone to process what she had told him. He didn’t think it was possible to feel any more pain at what Albus had suffered, but here he was, proven wrong once again. He was beginning to feel like none of this was real. There was no way any of this was happening. Not the blood steadily soaking into Albus’ jumper. Not the time turner burning a hole in his pocket. Not the streaks of white contrasting so sharply with Albus’ dark hair. This was a nightmare, it had to be. The worst he had ever had. 

“Scorpius.” He lifted his head to see Hermione standing back in front of him, Ron and Snape hanging a few paces behind. “We’re ready.” Scorpius nodded, a burst of adrenaline coursing through his weakened limbs. This was it.

“Right,” Scorpius gently slid off the cot, being sure to not jostle Albus as he pulled the time turner out of his pocket and made to put his wand away. Only, it wasn’t his wand laying on the cot beside him. Scorpius reached out and ran his fingers along knotted cherry wood, welcoming the familiar warm tingle that sparked up his arm as he picked up Albus’ wand. 

“Scorp… ‘m really cold.” Albus’ tiny voice pulled Scorpius out of his trance. Albus was indeed shivering, but Scorpius didn’t think he’d tolerate the cloak again. He pocketed the wand, reminding himself to give it back the moment that they were home and Albus was able to hold it.

“Erm, Albus, Scorpius,” Ron was holding out his long coat. “I know it’s not much, but you said that your cloak hurts him, Scorpius, and I figured that had something to do with the bruises ‘round your neck, Albus. So,” he carefully reached out a cautious hand. “And I know you don’t like being touched right now, but Scorpius looks like a strong wind could blow him over and we’re going to need to be traveling quite quickly, and, well, bloody hell you don’t have any shoes even, and the forest floor would be murder on bare feet.” Scorpius wanted to protest, wanted to say that he was perfectly capable of carrying Albus to the ends of the earth if necessary, but deep down he knew that Ron was right. It broke his heart that Albus was too tired to object when Ron laid a hand against his cheek briefly before turning to Scorpius. “Help me get him up? I’m afraid we’ve run out of time.”

And then time began to bleed together in a nebulous series of events that Scorpius could only reach out and grasp at the barest edges of. There was Hermione, taking the time turner from his grasp, pulling him to his feet firmly but kindly. Ron, helping Albus into his jacket and then lifting him onto his back with the utmost of care. Albus, cringing and crying out, but eventually relaxing into Ron’s shoulder with a sigh. Snape, coming to stand at his elbow, eyes intense and deep.

“Alright, Malfoy,” Hermione held the time turner out in front of her, its dial set for the first task. “Let’s hope this works.” The time turner glowed to life, its whirling bands moving seamlessly as Snape and Ron held out a hand to grab hold of it, and Scorpius quickly followed. His hand was cold. The time turner was colder. As the world warped around them, the familiar sickening pull clenching Scorpius’ stomach in anxious knots, only one thought lingered in his mind.

_ Please, please let this work. _

As the dizzying ripples in time slowed to a halt and the room settled around them, Scorpius could barely keep up as the adults took off down a narrow earthen tunnel at the back of the room. His heart was pounding in his ears, a nauseating thudding sound that hurt his head and made it difficult to breathe. No one was talking; no one was making a sound and Scorpius was going to lose his mind. He was scared. He was anxious. But deep down, he was excited to finally be doing something to fix the mess they were in. He had the time turner clenched tightly in his hands, the icy metal biting into his skin. As vile as the device made him feel, there wasn’t a chance he was letting out of his grip. 

“This is it,” Hermione’s hurried voice echoed from ahead of them and Scorpius found himself being steered sharply off to the left, Snape’s firm hand on his shoulder. And for the first time in over a week, Scorpius found himself blinking in the fresh air, a light breeze blowing through his hair and stopping him in his steps momentarily as he looked around at the dappled sunlight filtering through the ancient trees of the Forbidden Forest. He glanced over at Albus, concerned with how he had tolerated the jump, only to find him with a tiny smile on his face as he breathed in deeply, relaxing in the warmth of the midday sun. 

Scorpius didn’t have long to appreciate Albus’ moment of peace, because a sudden distant roar shocked everyone into action. So he followed along until the familiar sight of the first task of the Triwizard Tournament came into view, the huge cluster of students just visible through the trees. 

“Where are you, Scorpius?” Hermione asked quickly, eyes darting around like a trapped animal. “And be careful! Under no circumstances can any of us be seen.”

“Closer, we need to get closer,” Snape hissed, a blast of fire illuminating his face in a bloody red glow. 

“This way,” Scorpius ducked behind a nearby tree, Ludo Bagman’s booming voice nearly startling him off his feet.

“And Cedric Diggory has entered the stage. And he seems ready, scared but ready. He dodges

this way, he dodges that! The girls swoon as he dives for cover. They cry as one, ‘Don’t damage our Diggory, Mr. Dragon!’” And then Scorpius spotted them. He had to admit, watching himself from the back was an insanely odd experience, and he felt a hollow ache in his chest watching past Albus’ determined face as he readied his wand. 

_ Are we ever going to be like that again? _ Scorpius wondered as he watched his past self looking around nervously. _ Was Albus ever going to have that playful sparkle back in his eyes?  _ He could’ve watched their past selves forever, but a horrible ticking sound pulled his attention and he stared at his hands in surprise. The time turner had begun to vibrate and glow, and Scorpius’ heart sank in fear. They were running out of time. Bagman’s boisterous commentary continued.

“And Cedric skirts left and he dives right, and he readies his wand!” 

“This is taking too long,” Scorpius looked up to see Snape standing nervously at his side. “The time turner is spinning.” Indeed it was, he realized with sickening dread. They were going to run out of time. Scorpius tore his eyes away from the increasingly violent movements of the time turner to find his Albus, head resting listlessly on Ron’s shoulder. 

“What has this young, brave, handsome man got up his sleevies now?” Scorpius whipped around and watched past Albus raise his wand.

“Now, Hermione!” Scorpius tried his hardest to reign in the wildly spinning time turner as Hermione waved her wand in a precise flick, her shield charm impeccable as past Albus looked around in confusion. The time turner gave an almighty lurch and Scorpius let out a small cry as it began to spin.

“A dog! He’s transfigured a stone into a dog! Dog diggity, Cedric Diggory, you are a doggy dynamo!” Bagman’s commentary faded into the swirl of time as the adults frantically grabbed a hold of the time turner and it yanked them in, the spinning of time and memory just as harsh as it had been before. 

There was the deafening ticking and then silence as they ground to a halt, the forest dark and murky around them. Then there was a sudden snap, the crunching of bones, and Ron was collapsing to the ground, Albus tumbling off of his back as Ron grabbed at his leg and moaned.

“Ow, ow, owwww, ouch, ouch,  _ ouch _ .” Ron’s face had taken on a greenish hue, his forehead clammy and jaw clenched in pain. Albus shrieked as he hit the ground, having tried to break his fall with his ruined hand. Scorpius bolted forward, already reaching out to take a hold of the hand that Albus held out to him. Albus immediately pulled Scorpius’ hand down to rest under his chin as he shivered and cried, his face a horrid shade of grey. 

“Albus, oh no, oh no,” Scorpius’ stomach bottomed out as he dropped to his knees in the dirt, shoving the time turner into his pocket as Albus squeezed the remaining feeling out of his fingers.

“Ron . . . Ron . . .” Hermione rushed over, her face ashen as she crouched down to examine Ron’s twisted leg. “What has it done to you?”

“Oh no,” Snape paled as he took a look at Ron’s clearly broken limb. “I knew it.”

“The time turner did something to Albus too,” Scorpius was upset to find that his voice had gone all squeaky in his panic. “The first time we went back.” 

“Useful… time to… ow… tell us,” Ron groaned as he grabbed uselessly at his leg. 

“We’re above ground,” Snape looked around at the ominous trees pressing in all around them. “We need to move. Now.”

“Ron, you can still walk, come on . . .” Hermione heaved Ron to his feet, steadying him when his leg wobbled and refused to take any of his weight.

“Did it work?” Scorpius asked, his voice thin. Albus’ eyes were still squeezed shut, his breaths coming out in short gasps.

_ Oh god, please let it have worked. _

“We blocked the spell,” Hermione confirmed. “Cedric kept his wand. Yes. It worked.”

“But we came back to the wrong place,” Snape snarled. “We are outside,” he turned to look pointedly at Ron and Hermione. “ _ You _ are outside.” He spun around to point at Albus. “ _ He _ is outside.”

“We need to use the time turner again,” Ron gasped as he tried to take a step forward. “Get out of here -”

“We need to find shelter,” Snape cut in. “We’re horribly exposed.” Almost as if in response to Snape’s concern, the hairs on the back of Scorpius’ neck stood up as the air was filled with dreadful rattling moans, the temperature dropping as several dementors drifted out of the trees, hovering in the air just over their heads. Albus choked on a terrified cry, pushing himself up off the ground with more strength than Scorpius thought he had.

“Too late,” Hermione whispered as she slowly drew her wand, looking around at the creatures above her. Albus had pressed himself as close to Scorpius as he could manage, trying to hide away from the nightmares circling above his head.

“This is a disaster,” Snape slowly walked over to stand at Scorpius’ shoulder, eyes never leaving the dementors. 

“They’re after the boy,” Hermoine’s eyes darted around to make sure every dementor was still in her line of sight. “But they’re also after me. I can hold them here long enough for the four of you to get down to the lake and reverse the second task.” Her face was steel as she stood her ground. “Ron. I love you and I always have. But the four of you need to run. Go. Now.”

“What?” Ron cried as he hobbled over to her, hand reaching out uselessly.

“What?” Scorpius echoed, Albus cowering under the terrible effects the dementors had on him.

“Can we talk about the love thing first?” Ron reached out to grab a hold of Hermione’s hand, but she pulled back. 

“This is still Voldemort’s world, “ she snapped. “And I am done with it. Reversing the next task will change everything.”

“But they’ll kiss you,” Scorpius breathed. “They’ll suck out your soul.”

“And then you’ll change the past,” Hermione said matter-of-factly. “And then they won’t. Go. Now.”

“But - but,” Scorpius couldn’t wrap his head around what he was hearing. Surely she couldn’t mean… Hermione wouldn’t. Would she? “I can help,” Scorpius fumbled to draw his wand. “A patronus, I can -” Just then, Albus let out a helpless sob, his shivering intensifying as the dementors swooped lower.

“P-p-please noo, g-get out of m-my head. D-don’t hurt h-him, pleeease.”

“Go, Malfoy,” Hermione barked. “Go now, get him away from the dementors and save the world.” Scorpius nodded woodenly and pulled Albus into his arms, shutting off the part of his brain that was screaming at him to stop when Albus flinched and moaned as Scorpius struggled to help him to his feet. Scorpius was utterly drained, the cloud of despair cast by the dementors doing absolutely nothing to help his trembling limbs and aching muscles. And when he finally staggered upright, Scorpius was hit with a sudden wave of alarming dizziness that had him seeing stars.

“You remind me of my sister, Albus,” Ron called from over his shoulder, his eyes overly bright. “She was a fighter too. She’d be so proud of you, you know.”

“M-mum?” Albus perked up slightly at the mention of his mother, and Scorpius’ chest ached. He watched Ron wipe at his eyes before turning to face the dementors, wand steady despite his trembling shoulders.

“Go,” Snape said firmly, grabbing a hold of Scorpius’ elbow. “We need to go.”

“But, no, wait,” Scorpius didn’t have the strength to pull away as Snape steered them in the direction of the lake, Ron and Hermione’s voices fading in the distance.

“You’re supposed to be going too,” Hermione’s distressed tone brought tears to Scorpius’ eyes. 

_ This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening. _

“Uncle Ron?” Albus stuttered as he tried to twist around to keep his eyes on his uncle.

“Albus, don’t,” Snape began to speak, but was drowned out by the horrid screeching sound the dementors emitted as they dove down, slimy scabbed hands wrapping around Ron and Hermione’s throats. Scorpius didn’t know which was worse, the sight of the dementors ripping the souls out of the last remaining members of Dumbledore’s army, or Albus’ hopeless sobs as he watched his family be consumed right in front of them.

“Let’s get down to the water,” Snape’s cautious voice barely pulled his attention as he pulled them away from the horrible sight. “Walk,” he snapped when Scorpius tried to bolt. “Don’t run.” And then he spoke more gently. “Stay calm, Scorpius. They may be blind but they can sense your fear.”

“They just sucked out their souls,” Scorpius couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t hear anything past Albus’ weak crying and his own faltering breaths. 

_ They’re gone, _ Scorpius staggered forward, Albus a dead weight at his side.  _ They gave themselves up for us. Oh my god, we just watched them... How many more people are we going to watch die?  _

“Professor Umbridge,” Snape’s cold voice halted Scorpius in his tracks, his heart sinking into his stomach. Albus tensed beside him as Scorpius looked over his shoulder to see the Headmistress standing hardly twenty feet away, looking at them all with her terrifying smug grin.

_ You’ve got to be kidding me, _ Scorpius choked on a hysterical giggle as he stumbled backwards, Albus starting to tremble at his side.  _ This plan is falling apart faster than we can keep up. How very typical for us. _

“Have you heard the news?” she smiled sweetly. “We’ve caught that traitorous mudblood Hermione Granger. She was just out here.”

“That’s… fantastic,” Snape forced out as Scorpius tried desperately to back into the shadow of a large tree. Albus was shuddering violently now, the fingers of his left hand tangling in the shoulder of Scorpius’ robes.

“With you,” Umbridge continued as if Snape hadn’t spoken, her eyes alight with a manic fire. “Granger was with you.”

_ This isn’t happening, _ Scorpius took another tiny step backwards, Albus actually trying to help by attempting to move his legs.  _ We can’t have come this far to be stopped now. Not like this. _

“With me? You’re mistaken.” Snape was stalling for them and Scorpius was about to make a run for it when Umbridge casually pointed her wand in their direction.

“With you and Scorpius Malfoy,” her smile reminded Scorpius of a cat cornering its prey and he froze in fear. “A student I’m becoming increasingly concerned about.” Umbridge had turned her full focus on him now and Scorpius was finding it more and more difficult to breathe. “Hello, Scorpius. Yes, I see you there. Where do you think you’re going with that filthy thing?”

“Dolores, we’re late for class, so if you’ll excuse us . . .” Snape tried to pull Umbridge’s attention back to himself, but she waved him off with a flick of her stubby hand.

“Oh, do be quiet, Severus. I’ll deal with you in a moment,” she folded her hands primly in front of her, wand still present enough to be threatening. “Just what do you think you’re doing, Scorpius?”

“I… I’m…” Scorpius was unable to force any words out of his mouth. Any semblance of bravery had melted away, leaving him with a terror so deep that he felt like he was going to pass out. 

“I didn’t want to believe it when the Augurey came to me mere hours ago, telling me that our Scorpion King wasn’t who he said he was,” Albus let out a tiny sob and Scorpius only tightened his grip. “But now I see that she was correct. What a disappointment,” Umbridge sighed. “And I had such high hopes for you too. And you,” she looked over to Albus now, her face twisting into a look of pure and utter loathing. “Have you learned nothing? Is it possible that my lessons still haven’t sunk in properly?” 

Scorpius could feel Albus shaking like a leaf, could feel his breath coming in sharp, panicked gasps as he squirmed uncomfortably in Scorpius’ grip. His heart broke for the thousandth time as he saw the unadulterated fear in his best friend’s eyes, his face gaunt and hopeless. 

_ I don’t like that look _ , Scorpius tried to put himself between Albus and Umbridge.  _ We’re not giving up. We’re not. We can’t. _

“You really are just like your pathetic parents, aren’t you,” Umbridge pressed on, taking a step to the side so she could keep her gaze fixed on Albus. “Look at you, cowering behind your little friend.” She let out a girlish giggle, the sound grating against Scorpius’ frayed nerves. “I’ll make you a deal, Potter. You come back to the castle with me, now. The Augurey, apparently, has very interesting plans for you.” Scorpius couldn’t breathe, Umbridge’s words igniting a hysteria so fierce that he was going to scream. 

_ No, no, no, no, _ he grit his teeth against the cries that were attempting to bubble up his throat.  _ Stop talking. Stop looking at him like that, you dreadful excuse for a human being. _

“So you come here; come over to me without a fight, and we will show Mr. Malfoy and this sorry excuse for a professor mercy for their unspeakable crimes.” Umbridge smiled sweetly at them and Scorpius was sure he was going to vomit. He almost toppled off balance when Albus suddenly tried to take a wobbly step forward, his legs only managing for a moment before they gave out.

“Don’t you dare,” Scorpius struggled to regain his balance and pulled Albus back to his side, trying to do anything to keep that horrible woman from looking at him like that. “You’re not giving yourself up; don’t be ridiculous!”

“Jus’ let me go, Scorp. P-please, I… please…” Albus gave a weak tug against Scorpius’ hold. 

“Let him go, Malfoy,” Umbridge smirked. “Can’t you see he wants to come to me? Perhaps he isn’t as foolish as I thought.”

“SHUT UP!” Scorpius shrieked, the overwhelming terror bursting out in a violent explosion of rage. “You’re a horrid woman, you know that? A twisted, disgusting, evil toad! You’re not having him, and neither is this Augurey person! You’re not touching him ever again! If you even think of coming any closer I will hex you. I will hex you until you are nothing more than a stain on the ground!” Scoprius was breathing heavily now, his jaw clenched painfully tight as Umbridge regarded him with one eyebrow raised.

“And that is the first I’ve believed that the Scorpion King is in there somewhere,” she smiled cooly as Scorpius stared back, his anger draining away as her words settled in his mind. “Maybe there’s hope for you as well.”

_ I’m… I’m capable of things the Scorpion King would do?  _ Scorpius felt faint. _ What if he’s actually in there somewhere? What if I snap some day and hurt people I care about? Oh god, what if -  _ He sucked in a deep breath, fighting against the pain in his chest that felt horribly like his heart had been clawed from his body.  _ What if I’m starting to turn into him? _

“Dolores, if you’re quite through with the theatrics…” Snape’s cold voice drew her focus back to him with a snap, like she had forgotten he was there. And quite honestly, Scorpius himself had forgotten the professor’s presence, too wrapped up in his paralyzing fear for Albus and their escape. Umbridge’s face cracked into a smug grin.

“Ah yes, Severus. I should’ve acted on my suspicions far sooner.” She snapped her wand towards Snape, but he was quicker.

“ _ Depulso! _ ” Umbridge screamed as she was thrown backwards into the blackness of the Forbidden Forest, the force of Snape’s spell removing her from sight. “She always did like getting the last word in,” Snape ran an exhausted hand across his face. There was a moment of silence in which Scorpius dared to allow himself to breathe, ice beginning to fill the void in his chest where his heart used to be. Albus’ hair was tickling against his cheek, and Scorpius let his head drop briefly to rest against Albus’ head.

“I am not leaving you behind, Albus Potter,” he whispered. “And I’ll repeat that as many times as necessary.” Albus shifted, his arm tightening ever so slightly around Scorpius’ shoulders.

“S-s-stubborn…” Scorpius nearly laughed when a wave of cold washed over him and Snape spun around to face the direction in which Umbridge had been blasted. 

_ “Expecto Patronum,” _ and a beautiful silvery doe burst from the tip of Snape’s wand and trotted up to them, its wide eyes regarding them with a peaceful look. 

“A doe? Lily’s patronus,” Scorpius picked his head up to marvel at the creature in front of him. Albus looked up as well, his eyes fixated on the delicate silver doe.

“Strange, isn’t it? What comes from within,” Snape looked directly at Albus as he spoke, something Scorpius couldn’t quite identify flashing across his face. He reached into the pockets of his robes and withdrew a vial filled with what looked like slimy green rat tails, and Scorpius recognized it immediately. “Take this gillyweed and get to the lake,” Snape continued as Scorpius struggled to readjust his hold on Albus in order to free up a hand to take the vial. “I will keep them at bay for as long as I can.” 

“Hold on as best you can,” Scorpius told Albus as he tightened his grip around Albus’ waist and released his wrist, praying that Albus wouldn’t immediately drop to the ground. His heart swelled when Albus tightened his grip even more, a little sound of exertion slipping out through his clenched teeth as he forced his feet to press into the ground.

_ That’s it, _ Scorpius could feel some of the strain being taken off of his muscles, which were shaking almost as badly as Albus was.  _ That’s it, you can do it.  _ Snape placed the vial into Scorpius’ hand once he was sure that Albus wasn’t going to fall.

“Now go,” Snape gave Scorpius a small shove in the direction of the lake before turning to keep an eye on the gloomy forest behind them, the doe providing a soft glow in the darkness.

“Thank y-you…” Albus’ small voice stopped Snape in his tracks and he slowly turned back around to fix him with the softest smile that Scorpius had ever seen on the Potion master’s face.

“Albus… Albus Severus… I’m proud you carry my name.” A distant rattling groan echoed throughout the forest, and Snape jerked away, the moment shattering like glass. “You need to go now. Go.” The doe looked to Scorpius, gave him a little bow, and then took off towards the lake.

“Here we go,” Scorpius stumbled after the patronus, Albus actually managing to keep up with his panicked gait. As they plunged through the trees, the forest felt like it was getting darker around them, closing in on all sides with grasping skeletal claws. A horrible, bloodcurdling shriek sounded from behind them and Scorpius nearly tripped on the gnarled roots that danced across the forest floor. 

_ He’s gone, _ Scorpius thought hopelessly as Albus stumbled next to him.  _ Snape just gave himself up for us. _

As if to confirm his suspicions, up ahead the brilliant light from Snape’s patronus flickered and winked out, but not before Scorpius caught sight of the doe reflecting off of the glassy black surface of the lake. “We’re almost there,” Scorpius’ lungs were on fire, his side cramping up with agonizing spasms. Finally, the ground changed under their feet, the moss and dirt and roots giving way to wave-smoothed pebbles, sand and gravel. Scorpius skidded to a halt on the edge of the lake, the freezing cold water lapping at his shoes. Albus shivered uncomfortably when his bare feet made contact with the waves, turning to look at him with pleading eyes.

“S-Scorp…”

“It’s cold, I know. I’m so sorry,” Scorpius knew that the icy water was going to be incredibly painful for them both, but he couldn’t stop to dwell on that thought. “You just need to swallow this now.” He clumsily uncorked the vial with one trembling hand and held out a bit of the gillyweed so that Albus could see it. After a moment of Albus breathing harshly against Scorpius’ neck, he pulled his left arm from around Scorpius’ shoulders and took the gillyweed with unsteady fingers. 

“What…” he stumbled slightly as his legs wobbled, Scorpius tightening his grip around Albus’ waist in a panic.

“Gillyweed,” Scorpius said quickly, unable to keep from glancing over his shoulder in fear, expecting the lengthening shadows to turn into dementors or Death Eaters at any moment. “Albus, I know you’re scared but we need to hurry. I don’t know how long Snape was able to hold them off.” Albus let out a shaking breath and eyed the gillyweed warily before squeezing his eyes shut and shoving it into his mouth. Immediately, he started gagging like he was about to vomit it back up, and Scorpius nearly dropped the remaining contents of the vial. “Al, Albus you need to keep this down,” he reached across to rub soothing circles against Albus’ shoulder. “Just keep swallowing and breathing. We’re almost there. We’re almost home.” With a weak nod, Albus continued his battle with his stomach as Scorpius hastily swallowed the rest of the gillyweed and without a second thought, plunged them into the biting, icy water of the Black Lake.

The frigidness of the water immediately knocked the breath out of his lungs and Scorpius gasped as he felt the gills begin to sprout along the sides of his neck. Albus let out a miserable whine and tried to back out of the lake, his teeth chattering so loudly that Scorpius could hear them. “I’m sorry, Albus,” Scorpius apologized again before diving under the water, dragging Albus down with him. The cold seemed to shock any remaining struggle away and Albus resorted to simply clinging to Scorpius’ wrist, his lips beginning to turn blue in the murky water. Not wasting any more time, Scorpius pulled the time turner out of his robes and quickly adjusted the dials for the second task. 

_ This is it, _ Scorpius stared at the time turner as it began to glow and shake, its ticking eerily not muffled in the slightest by the surrounding water. At the very least, the coldness of the lake dulled the feel of the icy metal, and Scorpius was grateful as he gently guided Albus to place his hand on the time turner as well. Time began to spin faster; everything warped around them and then suddenly there was sunlight filtering through the gloomy water. 

Eyes burning, Scorpius aimed his wand at their past selves, barely managing to cast his shield charm in time. He felt his face crack into a small smile as he watched past Albus turn to past Scorpius in confusion, gesturing to the very much uninflated Cedric Diggory with such a comical expression that Scorpius nearly laughed. 

He couldn't take the time to acknowledge the warmth he felt in his chest at the sight of a healthy and uninjured Albus staring down at his wand in confusion, his past self drifting over to pat his shoulder. Scorpius was too busy trying to keep his Albus from sinking. Albus, for his part, was doing his best to stay with him but his eyes kept drifting shut, his face ghostly white in the murky green water.

_ Come on, Albus hold on _ . Scorpius frantically pulled him closer, already feeling the time turner begin to shake in his grip. He grabbed a hold of Albus' hand and placed it over the time turner, and not a moment too soon because as soon as he did, the awfully familiar feeling of being ripped through time left him feeling faint.

As the ripples from the shift in time coursed through the water and Ludo Bagman’s commentary faded from his ears, Scorpius found himself in an uncomfortably familiar position as he burst from the surface of the Black Lake with a sputtering cough. The ice cold water burned his skin like fire and his teeth were chattering from the chill, but Scorpius hardly noticed it as he shook his dripping hair from out of his eyes. Albus had floundered to the surface beside him, but was struggling to stay afloat, Ron’s waterlogged coat weighing him down. Hearing Albus choke on a mouthful of lake water jolted Scorpius into action and he immediately pulled the coat off and dragged Albus' left arm over his shoulders, patting his hand anxiously.

"Easy, Albus. I got you." He examined the shoreline with nervous eyes, looking for any sign of danger as he dragged the two of them closer to shore.

"Did it work?" Albus slurred, his head tipping listlessly onto Scorpius' shoulder.

"I - I think so," Scorpius said unconvincingly. He hadn't spotted any outright signs of danger, but everything still looked so ominous and shadowed and his heart was still pounding against his ribs in a painfully fast rhythm.

"K…" Albus murmured as he pressed his forehead against Scorpius' neck. Scorpius could feel his strength fading fast so he scrambled to the shoreline and finally allowed himself to collapse, exhausted, into the sand with Albus right next to him. For a moment, all he could do was breathe, horrible tremors shaking his entire body.

"Albus?" Scorpius asked in a small voice.

"Hmm?" Albus' eyes barely cracked open, their usual vivid green dull and tired.

"Still with me?" Scorpius reached out and laid a gentle hand against Albus’ cheek. Albus made an unintelligible sound, fingers twitching against the sand. 

_ I need to get up. I need to get help.  _ Albus was obviously in no shape to stand and Scorpius didn't think he had the strength left to carry him.  _ But I can't leave him. I can't.  _ Just then Albus gagged and before Scorpius could do anything, Albus vomited into the sand, violently retching up the meager amount of gillyweed he’d consumed before letting out a miserable whimper.

_ You have to get help,  _ a voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like his Dad cut in.  _ He needs help now. _

Knowing that the voice was right didn't make sitting up any easier, but Scorpius did. With enormous effort, he staggered to his feet and stood for a moment, vision going dark with the sudden change in position. "I'm getting help," he said as he drew his wand. "I'll be right back I promise." And before Albus could protest, if he was even capable, Scorpius turned to begin making his way up to the castle. However, he’d barely taken a step when the sight of several shadowed figures emerging from the nearby treeline stopped him dead in his tracks. Immediately, Scorpius felt his heart plummet.

_ No. No no no. It didn't work. We're still stuck here. No... _

“Stay back!” Scorpius yelled as a spray of red sparks shot out of his wand. “Get away!” As the shadowed figures came closer, Scorpius let out a hysterical cry and backed up until he was standing right over top of Albus, one foot on either side of his body.

_You’re not having him again._ _I won’t let you!_ His wand seemed to move of its own accord and a blast of vibrant gold energy shot towards the nearest figure, who let out a startled yelp and leapt aside. 

“Don’t come any closer!” Scorpius hadn’t realized that he’d started crying. When had that happened? But as he rapidly blinked to try and clear his vision, more tears just took their place in making sure everything he saw was through a watery haze.

_ Please stop please go away don’t don’t don’t -  _

“Scorpius!” One of the figures took a step too close and Scorpius exploded.

“ _ EXPELLIARMUS _ !” He shrieked, sending the approaching figure’s wand flying off into the darkened treeline.

“Oh, bloody hell!” The figure exclaimed as they immediately stepped back in search of their missing wand.

_ Don’t take him away please I can’t do this without him I can’t -  _

“SCORPIUS!”

He couldn’t breathe. His heart was going to beat right out of his chest.

“Don’t shout at him! Can’t you see he’s frightened?”

“What’s that he’s standing over?”

“Oh Merlin, it’s Albus. Harry, he’s not moving, he’s not  _ moving _ .”

Scorpius was so cold. His teeth wouldn’t stop chattering. He couldn’t feel his hands anymore. “Please,” he choked, tightening numb fingers around his wand in a last desperate stand. “ _ Please…. _ ”

“Scorpius, darling. It’s alright. You’re alright.” Someone to his left was trying to talk to him in a calming voice, and Scorpius whirled around to face them. 

_ It’s not alright! Nothing is alright! How can you say that? _

“Don’t touch him!” Scorpius slashed his wand through the air, a line of purple fire streaking across the sky. Suddenly his own wand slipped through his fingers, and Scorpius watched in horror as it flew into the outstretched hand of the figure closest to the treeline who had apparently retrieved their own wand already. 

_ No no no… _

A bone-deep sob of despair wrenched its way from Scorpius’ chest as he brought his hands up to shield his face, still trying to cover Albus as much as possible.

_ I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so sorry, Albus I wasn’t strong enough. Oh Merlin please just let it be quick -  _

“Stand down, Mr. Malfoy,” and then he heard a heavy sigh. “Scorpius, dear boy. Whatever has happened to you is over. You’re safe. Let us help you now.”

That voice. Scorpius knew that voice. Hardly daring to believe his ears, he cautiously peeked between his fingers at the figure that had lit their wand and stepped closer to him. Scorpius’ heart stopped when he looked up to see an achingly familiar face. 

“P-Professor McGonagall?” Her lined face was twisted into an expression that Scorpius had never seen on her before. She looked devastated.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy,” she confirmed, and relief crashed over him like a wave. A flash of white-blonde hair just beyond Professor McGonagall pulled Scorpius’ attention immediately and he finally allowed himself to look, to really look at who had approached them. Off to his left, standing side by side were Albus’ parents, Ginny and Harry Potter.

_ Harry Potter. He’s alive. He’s really alive. _

And then, right behind them.

“Dad?” Scorpius’ voice caught in his throat, too thick to attempt to say any more. His Dad was here.  _ His _ Dad. Dad with his neatly braided hair and casually elegant robes, face fixed into the familiar mask that Scorpius knew meant that he was doing everything he could to keep his emotions at bay. He felt his knees go weak and threaten to buckle underneath him. “D-Dad.”

“What did you do?” Scorpius tore his eyes away from his Dad at the sound of a new voice, and promptly froze under the fiery gaze of Harry Potter. And he had thought Umbridge was scary. Umbridge was nothing compared to the cold fury that was coming off of Harry in waves.

“I - I -”

“What. Did. You. Do?” Harry repeated, each word coming out laced with barely contained rage.

“I - I didn’t -” Scorpius stammered as he stared at Harry with wide eyes. “I would never -”

_ He thinks I did this, _ Scorpius gulped back a wave of nausea.  _ Harry Potter already thinks I’m Voldemort’s child, and now he thinks I tortured his son.  _ His fingers twitched uselessly against the cuff of his sodden shirt, wishing more than anything that he could just sink into the ground and disappear. It was then that he caught sight of his hands, pale, trembling, and covered in blood.  _ Albus’ blood, _ Scorpius realized and his stomach gave a horrible lurch as he let out a terrified whine, desperately trying to wipe the blood off against the sides of his robes. _ I’ve just crawled out of the lake dressed like a miniature Death Eater with his son’s blood all over my hands.  _ His breath was catching in his chest, unable to tear his eyes away from the red all over his hands. His skin was crawling and he wanted nothing more than to just rip it off. Anything to get rid of this. 

“Don't you dare threaten my son, Potter.” His Dad stepped up, eyes like steel and hand already reaching for his own wand.

“Back off, Malfoy -”

“Harry, don't be ridiculous. Scorpius couldn't do this.” Ginny placed her hand on her husband’s arm. “Look at him!”

“Covered in blood and blasting us with magic,” Harry snapped back. 

“Harry!” Ginny tightened her fingers in her husband’s sleeve. “He’s frightened. Would you do anything less to protect your friends if you thought they were in danger?”

“You're right, Ginny,” Harry immediately deflated, running a hand through his already messy hair. “My apologies, Draco, Scorpius.” His Dad nodded curtly, his eyes burning with a cold light. “Now please, Scorpius. Let me take a look at my son.” 

Scorpius was afraid to look back at Harry, afraid of the anger he had seen previously. He couldn’t bring himself to move either. In fact, Scorpius was having trouble looking anywhere other than at the shallow but steady rise and fall of Albus’ bloody back as he breathed. He heard the sound of someone moving closer and he flinched, a small whimper squeaking out of his throat. When nothing happened, he slowly lifted his eyes to see Harry crouched in front of him, holding out Scorpius’ wand to him with a desperate look on his face.

“I’m sorry I frightened you,” Harry said softly. “We both want the same thing. To help Albus.” Harry’s eyes, exactly like Albus’, were looking at him with such sincerity and Scorpius couldn’t do it anymore. He reached out to take his wand back, half expecting Harry to yank it back before he could get a hold of it. When that didn’t happen, Scorpius snatched his wand and held it for a moment before forcing himself to take a step away from Albus so that his parents could approach.

“Please help…” he whispered as Harry and Ginny rushed forward. “He’s… he’s really… it’s so bad…” After a few moments of silence, Ginny let out a gut-wrenching scream and Scorpius stumbled backwards, knowing exactly what Harry and Ginny were seeing and knowing there was nothing he could do to fix it. Overcome with the horror of everything he had been through, Scorpius brought his hand up to cover his mouth as Ginny continued to cry. 

If only he had gotten Albus home faster… if he had just been smarter, more clever, better at coming up with wild plans. Maybe if he had been more insistent at not going back in time in the first place… he could’ve spared Albus so much pain. This was all his fault. Albus’ parents’ pain was all his fault. His and the bloody time turner’s. As soon as he remembered the damned lump of metal still sitting in his pocket, Scorpius felt all the air squeeze out of his lungs and he ripped the time turner out of his robes with a horrible whimper. Seeing the device out in the open sent his mind into a spiral, a mess of horrible screams and bodies falling to the ground in a flash of green, blood splattered across grimy stones and the swish - crack of a whip tearing through skin.

“What do you have there, Scorpius?” His Dad’s voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. Scorpius’ thoughts were still a jumbled mess of rattling moans and cold so frigid it hurt, little sobbing cries and off-tune muggle melodies. The pain of being alone after their first time traveling attempt was nothing compared to this. Scorpius flung the time turner to the ground and pointed his wand at it. 

_ Damn this stupid, bloody device,  _ Scorpius’ hands were shaking.  _ Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! _

“Scorpius, no -” 

“What is he -”

“Wait!”

“ _ Confringo! _ ” Scorpius barely flinched as the time turner burst into flames, the startled cries of the people around him barely noticeable as he watched the fragmented metal warp and melt into the sand beneath it. 

_ Never again, _ he stuffed his wand back into his pocket, an impressive feat since his hands had gone numb.  _ You’re not hurting anyone ever again. _

“Scorpius,” his Dad’s voice was impossibly soft, and Scorpius needed him more than anything. He barely took two steps before his legs gave out, no longer able to support his worn out body. His Dad was there in an instant, scooping him up before he hit the ground and wrapping him up in the biggest hug that Scorpius had ever remembered his Dad giving him. He was immediately enveloped by the scent of his father's expensive French cologne, specialty shampoo, and just a hint of lavender from his mother's garden, and finally Scorpius crumbled. 

He buried his face in his father's shoulder and just sobbed, feeling small and terrified and drained and so many other things he couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Even though he was home, his Dad gently stroking his hair and holding him close, he knew their ordeal was far from over. There would be so many impossible questions that he didn’t think he was even close to being able to answer. There would be healers with their poking and prodding, endless potions and tinctures and herbs. There would be pain and nightmares and screaming and tears, nights of no sleep and days where there would be nothing but. 

But for now, for just this one tiny moment, he could push all of that out of his mind and simply focus on his Dad; the feel of his steady heartbeat lulling Scorpius into a drowsy trance where nothing could ever touch him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick thanks to all of you for reading! It’s crazy to see how many people are reading your story.


	11. Chapter 11

Looking back, Harry could easily count on one hand the number of times he had felt as helpless as this. As he spun out of the Floo network and into St. Mungo’s unusually crowded reception room, Ginny clutching his elbow and his youngest son unconscious in his arms, he would have gladly faced down Voldemort himself if it meant that he could make this feeling go away. Ginny stumbled over to the reception desk, not waiting for her dizziness to subside. The tiny blonde witch sitting there looked up with a bored sigh that immediately died on her lips when she took in the cluster of people in front of her.

“O-our son,” Ginny stammered as Harry forced his legs to carry him to the desk. Draco and Scorpius had tumbled out of the fireplace behind them, Scorpius still wrapped up in Draco’s arms. “We don’t know what happened, but he’s -”

“Please,” Harry choked out. His lungs felt tight, like his ribs were shrinking and crushing inward every second he stood in the chaotic lobby. Albus’ blood was slowly seeping into his robes. “It’s our son. He needs help, I... I need help. Please!” 

Harry’s voice was thick and caught in his throat as the witch leapt to her feet and disappeared through a set of double doors with a hasty, “Right away, Mr. Potter!” Ginny’s cheeks were wet, Harry noticed, as she reached forward to brush Albus’ hair off of his forehead. A team of healers seemed to appear out of nowhere, their lime green robes swirling around them as they rushed forward, a hospital bed floating along with them. 

“You can lay him here, Mr. Potter,” a tall healer with bright blue eyes reached out as if to help. Harry shook his head as he gently laid Albus down on the bed himself, being sure to keep pressure off of his back which appeared to be the largest source of the bleeding. As soon as he no longer had the weight of his son in his arms, Harry began to feel like he was floating away. He felt empty, like something had shut off inside. 

A smaller team of healers had broken off from the main group and descended on the Malfoys, Draco answering their questions in a hushed voice. Scorpius refused to emerge from his father’s embrace, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

“Harry?” He ripped his eyes away from Draco gently coaxing Scorpius to speak to a healer. Harry looked up to see a young man rushing towards him, his teal hair rapidly darkening to an intense stormy grey, staring at him with wide, Albus-green eyes. Teddy’s horrified face was ashen as he reached out to touch his shoulder, rapidly looking between Harry, Ginny, and Albus, unconscious on the bed in front of them. “What happened?”

“No time, Lupin,” another healer said shortly. “We need to go, now.” 

“Mr. and Mrs. Potter, follow us. Quickly,” a tall, serious looking woman with rich dark skin and silver hair that was pulled back in a messy bun stepped forward to guide their group towards the lifts. Harry felt something in his stomach twist as he took in the familiar, lined face. 

“Healer Barrow,” he wrapped an arm around Ginny’s shoulders as the older woman ushered them into the lift, Teddy and the other healer waving their wands in dizzying circles over Albus, their eyes creased in concern. “Is he going to be ok?” Harry tightened his grip on his wife. “My… my son. Is he -”

“I need to see what I’m working with before I make any promises. We’re going to do everything we can,” Barrow finished as the lift came to a stop on the fourth floor. Harry briefly registered the fact that they had been assigned the top trauma healer in the entirety of St. Mungo’s, but the reasoning behind that was far too horrifying to consider. They must have called on Anthea Barrow because she was always the one to treat Harry when he came in with a work-related injury. That had to be it. Any other alternative was unthinkable. “This way,” Healer Barrow directed their group down the corridor, and Harry trailed after them, his heart pounding in his throat and stomach twisting in horrible knots. 

She led them through the entire ward, pushing through a set of plain dark doors near the end that simply said ‘Dark Magic’. The ward was empty, the 6 clean beds almost mocking as the healers quickly levitated Albus onto the one furthest from the door. Seeing his son in the stark hospital lights ripped the breath from his lungs and he reached out to Ginny for support. The healers had made quick work of the sodden jumper and the sight of Albus’ torn skin made Harry’s knees go weak. 

“What happened?” Ginny’s horrified voice nearly broke him. “Harry… my god what happened?” Harry shook his head numbly as he took in every cut, every bruise, every burn that littered his son’s body; watched his ruined back rise and fall as his baby struggled to breathe. 

“Oakley, I’m going to start diagnostics,” Barrow spoke to the blonde healer beside her before stepping up to Albus’ bed. “I need you to get a potions cart in here, stat, so get his vitals and go. Lupin, his body temp is far too low. Work on that, alright?” She calmly directed her team as she drew her wand. 

“How can I help?” Ginny pleaded as she pulled away from Harry to stand by Albus’ bed, her eyes painfully dry. “Please, what can I do?” Barrow regarded Ginny with a steady gaze before taking a hold of her hand and guiding it to their son’s head. 

“Keep his face tilted like this,” Barrow said, showing Ginny the correct way to support Albus’ head and neck. “That will help ease his breathing while he’s laying on his stomach.” She nodded at Ginny’s technique before she began to mutter an incantation that Harry was rather familiar with. Teddy went right to work casting warming charm after warming charm, hands steady despite his wide eyes. The other healer, Oakley, Harry assumed, ducked out into the corridor for a moment before returning with a wheeled cart piled high with various potions and bottles. Harry approached the end of the bed, his legs stiff and unsteady, and set his palm against Albus’ calf. He tried to draw in a shaky breath. Teddy paused in his spellwork to lay his hand against Harry’s for a moment and Harry drew in another shallow breath as he focused on Barrow’s work.

Her face was serious as she swept her wand across Albus’ body, its tip lighting up with a red glow. The frequency of the light increased as Barrow’s examination grew longer, and longer. Each time the wand lit up, her frown deepened. Harry had begun to lose count of how many times it did that, a cold sick feeling settling deep in his stomach. He had to steady himself against the bed when Barrow got Teddy’s attention. “Lupin, I’m going to need you to start a list for me. Oakley, I’m going to need you to work on something for his back and face. Something dittany based with mallow, I believe.” 

Teddy drew in a sharp breath as he pulled a notepad and quill out of his pocket before stepping up to Barrow’s side so that he could hear her rapid murmuring, his eyes slowly darkening to a flat, dull black. After what seemed like hours, Barrow lowered her wand and let out a sigh. She briefly laid a hand against Albus’ bruised cheek before turning to Teddy.

“The list, please,” she asked. Teddy handed her his notebook, which looked to be covered in far more writing than Harry thought possible. He watched as Barrow’s eyes darted across the page, taking in everything that Teddy had written down. “Thank you, Teddy,” she lightly patted his shoulder. “Please make sure his vitals remain consistent while I speak to your family.” With a steadying breath, she turned to face the Potters and began. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I wish I had better news for you. Albus is dehydrated, malnourished and dealing with significant blood loss. His nose and several ribs are broken. It appears as though his right hand has been broken and healed numerous times, and poorly at that. Multiple contusions to his neck and face, with internal damage to his throat that we’ll need to keep an eye on. Severe lacerations across his back and face that are of magical origin. Several deep wounds on his right arm of non-magical origin. Substantial bruising and tearing around both his wrists. A moderate concussion. Burns on his shoulder, neck, and feet. His left wrist and elbow are sprained. Both shoulders are showing significant strain and tearing in the muscles.” Barrow paused with a heavy sigh before looking up to meet Harry’s eyes. “We’re also looking at considerable nerve and muscle damage most likely resulting from prolonged subjection to the Cruciatus Curse.”

Barrow’s words squeezed the air from Harry’s lungs and he shook his head in silent disbelief. There was no way he had heard Barrow correctly. Thank god for Ginny, who was quick witted as ever while Harry himself floundered. “I’m sorry?” she said, her voice faint. “I don’t think I heard you quite right, because there’s no way that someone used the Cruciatus Curse on my son.”

“I’m afraid you heard correctly, Mrs. Potter,” Barrow handed Teddy’s notebook back to him before moving to Healer Oakley at the potions cart. “And this isn’t something I would misdiagnose or take lightly. Unfortunately all signs point towards extensive damage from that curse. The white in his hair, the uncontrollable twitching in his limbs, the damage to his nerves and muscles… there’s really only one conclusion I can come to.” Harry watched as Ginny brushed her fingers through the white at Albus’ temples; why hadn’t he noticed that before? “These are all symptoms I’m very familiar with.”

“But…” Harry struggled to make his mouth form words. “He’s a child… he’s only fourteen. Who would even…” Teddy was busy vanishing the blood and dirt that covered every inch of Albus’ skin with jerky, calculated waves of his wand, his jaw clenched so tightly that it looked painful. 

“A good question,” Barrow murmured as she examined two pots of ointment that Oakley held out to her. She took the slightly yellow one before turning back to the Potters. “Oakley, take the burn paste and get to work on his feet. Make sure you get all the debris out before you start closing anything up.” She pressed the yellow pot into Teddy’s hand. “Lupin, set this aside. You’re going to want to add some lavender, maybe some willow as well.” Barrow looked up to Harry and he felt like he had been punched in the stomach at the sight of her usually steady face pinched in deep sorrow. “You’re going to need to prepare yourselves for the fact that Albus might not be the same when he wakes up.” She sighed. “He’s likely to have some sort of permanent damage, lifelong chronic pain from the damaged nerves and muscles.” Barrow tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And the probability of significant mental damage is quite high, and I wouldn’t even bring that up if not for the change in his hair color. I’m sorry to say, in my experience, that it’s never a good sign.”

Harry saw Ginny stumble out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t look up, couldn’t look over to see the despair he knew would be spreading across her face. He wanted to go to her, to take her in his arms, but he couldn’t get himself to move. He just kept replaying the last conversation he had had with Albus on the night before he was supposed to be going back to Hogwarts. 

_“Well, there are times I wish you weren’t my son!”_

Harry remembered how his temper had flared, how it had built and built and built until it exploded out of him with those unforgivable words. He remembered watching his son’s face crumple before he attempted to hide his hurt, his lip wobbling as he took a disbelieving step backwards.

_“No… I didn’t mean that…”_

Harry’s heart ached as he felt the regret, the disappointment, the anger at himself for saying such a horrible thing to his son. Wanted nothing more than to turn back time so that he had never said them in the first place. He had never wanted to be responsible for that look of anguish on anyone’s face, let alone his child’s.

_“You meant it, Dad,”_

Albus had stumbled away from him, eyes wide even as he tried to look unaffected.

_“And honestly, I don’t blame you.”_

And then he had run, but not before Harry saw a single tear trace down his cheek.

_Please don’t let that be the last thing I said to him…_ Harry watched as Barrow closed up the wounds around Albus’ wrists with a twist of her wand. If only he hadn’t lost his temper… if he had just given Albus some space once he sensed his son was getting irritated… Why did he insist on continuing the argument, needing to get the last word in? Because he was the adult? This was all his fault, Harry realized with sinking clarity as Ginny continued to smooth back Albus’ tangled hair. He had driven Albus away, and his pain was entirely Harry’s fault. If he hadn't pushed, hadn’t needled… he could have spared Albus this. 

“Harry,” Ginny, his Ginny, could see that he was spiraling. He couldn’t feel anything, not a single thing until she crossed over to him and took his face between her shaking hands. “This isn’t your fault,” she said, as if she could read his mind. “This isn’t your fault. But I need you to come back to me because I will be incredibly annoyed if I have to do this alone.”

No… he couldn’t do that to her. He couldn’t make her deal with this by herself. So he focused on the feel of her palms on his face, her brown eyes shining with unshed tears. And then he expanded to notice the soft cotton sheets clenched in his left hand, his son’s trembling leg under his right. Focusing on the things he could physically feel helped pull his mind into sharper focus, but he almost wished he hadn’t. He was slammed with an overwhelming wave of hopeless dread.

“You with me?”

“I’m with you,” Harry nodded. Just when he felt like he had a grasp on his emotions, several things happened at once. Oakley had bent down at the foot of the bed, her wand poised to begin fixing the mess of burns and cuts that covered the soles of their son’s feet. She laid one hand on his ankle and barely began her spell when suddenly she was doubled over, blood gushing from her nose from the force of Albus’ wild kick.

“Merlin’s _bollocks_ ,” Oakley swore.

Barrow’s head snapped up.

And then Albus was screaming.

Harry’s shock and disbelief was broken by the sudden sounds of his child’s terror. He spun around and Barrow rushed forward, Oakley cursing under her breath as Teddy fixed her nose with a flick of his wand. Albus’ green eyes were wide with fright as he lashed out at Barrow and attempted to push himself off of his stomach, a horrible string of desperate cries tearing from him as he struggled to breathe.

“P-pleease, please please, no no don’t, please…” 

Harry felt Ginny push past him, his own feet frozen to the floor as their child sobbed. Ginny reached the bedside right as Barrow began waving her wand in a complex pattern above Albus’ head. 

“Albus, darling,” Ginny reached out to touch his face, but froze when he flinched away with a terrified whimper. Harry could see her force the hurt out of her expression as she let her hand fall limply to her side. “It’s just Mum, love. Shhhh, it’s alright. You’re at St. Mungo’s. You’re safe, Albus.”

“M-Mum?” Albus’ voice was horribly scratchy. He peered up at her with a strange expression in his eyes. “Mum… where’s Dad? D-Dad? Please, w-where’s Dad?” His voice was younger and more scared than Harry had remembered hearing, and it pulled out the most instinctual pain he had ever felt. His stomach dropped into the floor, and his throat closed up. He could’ve vomited from the intensity of it. 

“Harry!”

“M-Mum p-please,” Albus wept. “Pl-please. Where’s Dad?”

“You need to try and keep still, Albus,” Barrow’s calm voice didn’t make a dent in Albus’ terror. Harry couldn’t move. Nothing had ever hurt worse than this.

“Harry, he wants you,” Ginny’s voice broke through his stupor and Harry’s knees went weak. His son wanted _him_. He was at Albus’ side in an instant, hands reaching out to touch his hair. At the sight of his father, Albus only began to cry harder.

“I’m here, Albus,” Harry soothed, his voice cracking. “I’m right here. It’s ok.” 

“Dad, D-Dad you’re… Dad...” Albus choked. His thrashing had caused fresh blood to begin leaking from the dreadful wounds across his back. “M s-sorry, Dad. I didn’t…”

“Mr. Potter, if he keeps moving about like this, he’s only going to hurt himself further,” Barrow’s eyebrows were creased with concern. Without a second thought, Harry climbed onto the bed and pulled his son onto his chest, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other around his head, pulling him close. He fully expected Albus to push him away, to cry out and flinch and ask for his mother. But he didn’t. 

“Dad…” he sobbed, his cheek pressed into Harry’s chest directly above his heart. His body was shaking and trembling and Harry felt his heart break. “M so s-sorry, Dad.”

“It’s alright,” Harry whispered, his throat tightening as Albus cried. “It’s going to be alright.” 

“Mr. Potter, we’re going to get to work now,” Barrow was rolling up the sleeves of her lime green robes, Teddy and Oakley hovering behind her. “I need you to keep him still, no matter what.” Harry barely had the energy to nod before the healers whirled into action once again. They moved like a mesmerizing unit, somehow never bumping into each other and communicating in a language of spells and shorthand that Harry only vaguely understood. He really only had eyes for his son as he curled further and further into his chest. 

Harry was terrified because Albus was showing him absolute vulnerability, something he hadn’t done since he was little, and Harry was convinced that he was going to mess it up. He had done nothing but let Albus down lately, and this was another opportunity for his utter failure. Albus let out a pitiful sob when Barrow began dripping a thick golden liquid into the wounds across his back, and Harry tightened his grip, trailing his fingers across Albus’ forehead in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

“Shhh, Albus. Shhh, it’s alright.” Oakley had gone back to work on his son’s feet, siphoning a steady stream of dirt and gravel and grime into a small bowl beside her. Teddy stood at Harry’s shoulder, his eyes trained on Albus’ left arm as he murmured spell after spell under his breath.

“Dad… ‘m s-scared,” Albus gasped. He was crying so hard that he could barely breathe. “M s-so scared.”

How could he convince his son that he didn’t need to be scared anymore when he was clearly frightened out of his wits? He couldn’t. No matter what he said right now, he wouldn’t be able to get through Albus’ fear to convince him that he was safe. Not when he was in this much pain. 

“Mr. Potter,” Harry looked up to see Barrow standing beside him. She had spread a pale green paste across the wounds on Albus’ back and was now looking at Harry with steady eyes. She had a familiar bottle in her hand. “I have a dose of Skele-Gro here for his hand and ribs if you can get him to take it. We can also give him something for the pain.” At the sight of the offered potion bottle, Albus cringed away and began to fight Harry’s hold.

“No no no n-no, please no, ‘m sorry… s-sorry Dad please -” To her credit, Barrow immediately backed away and set the potion on the bedside table.

“We’ll try again later, then,” she said easily. “I’ll need to splint his hand until we can get the bones set, though.” She crossed down to examine the work Oakley had done, giving a satisfied nod at whatever she saw. “Excellent work, Marin. With any luck, he’ll be walking within the week. See if you can get a start on any muscle repair you can do without relying on potions. Lupin, can you take care of his nose and lip while I mix up something for that wound across his face? Something’s telling me that’s not going to react to the usual spells.”

Teddy looked up from where he had been intently focusing on Albus’ left wrist, hair briefly flashing the most brilliant of reds before darkening back to stormy grey. He nodded, quickly shifting over so that he could get a good look at Albus’ face. Ginny slid into the space that Teddy had vacated, perching on the edge of the bed and delicately stroking her fingers across the back of their son’s left hand. “Alright, Al,” Teddy said softly. “Let’s take care of that nose, yeah?” And then Teddy pointed his wand.

Harry nearly lost his grip, caught off guard at the ferocity in which Albus recoiled from Teddy, his struggle to get away intensifying as he found himself unable to escape Harry’s grasp. “L-let me g-go,” Albus pleaded as Teddy stared at him with wide eyes. “M s-sorry… please… I w-want to go home.” 

“I… I don’t…” Teddy stammered, meeting Harry’s equally horrified gaze. Albus’ sudden increased terror at the sight of Teddy’s face didn’t bode well and Ginny grabbed hold of Harry’s shoulder as Albus fought. 

“It’s just Teddy, love,” Ginny’s fingers were digging into Harry’s skin, her anxiety barely contained. 

“Quickly, Lupin,” Barrow said firmly, looking up from the potion cart. “Or move aside and let me do it.” Teddy gulped and tightened his grip on his wand. 

“Anthea, I don’t understand, I -” Teddy’s words died on his lips when Albus let out a horrible cry when he was unable to move his head due to Harry’s grip.

“P-please don’... T-Teddy… don’t... I’m s-sorry!”

Harry heard Ginny inhale sharply beside him as Teddy stumbled backwards like he had been slapped. It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Harry’s chest ached like something had carved out a chunk of his heart. Barrow immediately pulled Teddy out of Albus’ line of sight, her face smooth and businesslike. 

“Right, that’s not going to work,” she stepped up. “You can see what you can do about the bruising to his ribs.” Barrow bent down so that Albus could see her, and Harry’s heart broke even further when he froze, eyes widening in fear at the sight of an unfamiliar face. “Hello, Albus,” she said softly. “My name is Anthea Barrow and I’ve been placed in charge of your care. I’m going to fix up your face now, if that’s alright.” 

“Healer Barrow is a friend,” Harry said softly as Albus trembled against him. “She won’t hurt you.” 

“I’m going to start with your nose,” Harry instinctively tightened his grip on Albus’ head, not wanting him to twist away and get hurt further. Albus stared at Barrow’s wand and then up into her eyes, a heartbreaking expression of absolute helplessness taking over his battered face. 

“D-Dad…”

“I’m still here,” he said. “I won’t leave you.” Harry watched as Barrow easily fixed Albus’ nose and lip with a few well practiced waves of her wand and even though his son flinched and tried to pull away, it was clear that he was beginning to wear out, unable to do anything more than shudder and sob as his weakened body betrayed his terrified mind.

“I’m going to need to touch your face now,” Barrow pulled out the vial of thick golden potion and held it so that Albus could see. “I want to make sure your face heals up as cleanly as possible. I won’t lie to you, this is going to sting a little. But I’ll be as careful as I possibly can, alright?” Harry could feel Albus’ tears soaking into his robes and he took a steadying breath, gently brushing his son’s hair off of his forehead. Barrow looked at him for a moment, and Harry nodded.

He didn’t know what hurt worse, Albus’ desperate crying and struggling to get away from Teddy, or his almost frightening acceptance of Barrow’s care as she dripped potion after potion into the wound bisecting his face. The sudden resignation twisted Harry’s stomach in knots and he found himself reaching out for Ginny, needing her unmoving support to keep him from drifting away. Barrow finished by smoothing the same pale green paste that covered Albus’ back across his face. 

“All done,” she said. “I know that was scary for you. Albus, I’d like to take a look at your arm next,” Barrow gestured to Albus’ right arm that he had kept tucked protectively against his side. “I can’t imagine how much it’s hurting you.”

“It’s alright, darling,” Ginny added from where she was standing, one hand on Teddy’s shoulder as he worked to lessen the bruises that littered Albus’ ribs, his hands shaking horribly. “We’re here.” Harry could see Albus’ mind frantically trying to decide what to do, his eyes flickering between Barrow and her wand as he drew in short, shaking breaths. For her part, Barrow was incredibly patient as Albus stared at her, not making any movement to grab his arm against his will or rush his clearly conflicted thoughts. 

“It’s okay, Albus,” Harry said softly after a moment. “I won’t let her hurt you.” Albus stopped breathing for a moment before letting out a helpless little choked sound that hurt Harry down to his bones. Then, much to his surprise, Albus moved his right arm away from his side with a tiny nod even though it looked like everything in him was clearly screaming not to do that.

“Thank you, Albus,” Barrow’s mouth twitched with a small smile before she reached out and ever so gently manipulated his arm until the shredded skin of his inner forearm was visible. And then it was all Harry could do to hold his son still as Barrow began the process of cleaning and healing the devastatingly deep gashes, every whimper and moan tearing through him like lightning. When Barrow began applying the same thick gold potion she had used on his back and face, Albus nearly ripped his arm back before simply burying his face in Harry’s chest and crying.

The doors to the ward suddenly flew open and Ginny swore in surprise as Harry instinctively reached for his wand, everything in him screaming to protect their child. Barrow’s head snapped up, her whole body rigid with irritation. Albus took the opportunity at her momentary distraction to pull his arm out of her loosened grip, tucking it back up against his side with a soft whimper.

“Excuse me,” Barrow snapped, her mouth set in a hard line. “This is unacceptable, and I - oh,” Harry looked up to see Scorpius Malfoy stumble into the ward, his face almost as white as his damp blonde hair. Draco wasn’t too far behind, his eyes briefly widening in shock before he schooled his expression into something more neutral, a hand reaching out to grab onto his son’s shoulder. Scorpius was a wreck, eyes red-rimmed and glassy, a half-healed bruise standing out sharply against his pale cheek. A slightly frazzled healer with curly hair appeared in the doorway, apparently out of breath from chasing his charge. Barrow fixed him with a severe look.

“Healer Pines, what can I do for you?” At least the healer had the sense to look apologetic as he stepped forward.

“Sorry, Anthea, he got away from me and -”

“I heard him screaming,” Scorpius seemed unable to look anyone in the eye, his gaze darting around wildly before coming to rest somewhere in the vicinity of Barrow’s kneecaps. “I heard him screaming and I… well I didn’t… I… um…” He finally lifted his eyes to meet Harry’s and he was struck by just how scared Scorpius looked, hunched in on himself and shivering slightly due to the fact that he was still dressed in the strange damp robes they had found him in. “I’m sorry.” His voice was impossibly soft and he looked away, twisting his hands in the hem of his shirt. 

“Scorpius,” Draco looked immensely uncomfortable. “We are being incredibly rude and we need to leave the healers to their work.” Harry didn’t think it possible, but Scorpius’ face went even paler and he tried to twist out from his father’s grip.

“No, no Dad wait, please I -”

“There are empty beds here,” Ginny spoke up, her voice gentle. “If it’s alright with the healers, it’s alright with us.” Barrow nodded, gesturing to the bed immediately to Albus’ left.

“The only thing I ask is that you stay out of our way,” she fixed the Malfoys with a stern look before turning her attention back to Albus. “I’m afraid I’m going to need that arm back, Albus,” Barrow said softly. “I wasn’t quite finished.” Harry’s breath caught when Albus let out a shaky groan.

“P-please…” Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Scorpius flinch at the sound of Albus’ distress. “I can’t… it h-hurts… don’t…” His pleas faded as his voice gave way to heavy sobbing, Harry’s chest aching with the intensity of his son’s pain. 

“I’m so sorry, Albus. I’m so sorry,” he murmured, wishing there was something, anything he could do to take this all away. But the only thing he could do right now was what he was already doing. Holding his child and waiting out the pain. So Harry leaned back and stared up at the ceiling, pale blue and littered with stars, and held his son as closely as he could. Albus sobbed into his chest, left hand clenched tightly in Harry’s robes, his breathing labored and harsh. Harry kissed the top of Albus’ head. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d done that. 

“Don’t g-go, Dad,” Albus’ heart was beating wildly against his ribs. “Don’t disappear.”

“Never,” Harry said quietly. “Never.” 

It was over an hour before the healers finally stepped back and Barrow laid her hand against Harry’s shoulder. “I think that’s all we can manage until we figure out how to get potions into him without causing further trauma,” she said, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. “I was able to fix his nose, but the hand and ribs are going to need Skele-Gro, so we’ve splinted everything until that happens.” Harry looked down to acknowledge the stiff brace around Albus’ right hand. “The cuts on the side of his head and around his wrists healed up cleanly, so there won’t be any scarring to worry about there.”

“Scarring?” Ginny said faintly.

“Yes,” Barrow rubbed a hand across her forehead. She looked tired. “The marks on his back might fade. His face and right arm, however, will most likely scar. We’ll be using a type of dittany based ointment developed during the first Wizarding War for things like this, but I don’t want to get your hopes up. They were rather deep and left untreated.” She began to roll her sleeves back down to her wrists. 

“But, I thought you said the injuries on his arm weren’t magical,” Ginny’s voice was brittle, her eyes not moving from the freshly healed pink slashes. Harry’s mind was spinning. Whatever had happened to their child was going to leave permanent marks on his body. He unconsciously flexed his hand, the faint white ‘I must not tell lies’ standing out against his skin. “And his face?” 

“We’re doing everything we can,” Barrow sighed. “His throat will take some time, but it will heal with no lasting effects, and we’ll get a cream for the bruises. He’ll be on a rather rigorous potions regiment, so the sooner we can convince him to take them, the better.” Barrow brushed a stray bit of hair out of her eyes. “But we can go over those later. The night healers should be by soon to introduce themselves,” Barrow gave Harry a knowing look and he followed her gaze as she glanced over her shoulder. 

Scorpius was curled up on the nearby bed with his knees tucked up under his chin, his head resting on his father’s shoulder as he stared listlessly at his trembling fingers. Draco only had eyes for his son, unable to look anywhere else. It was like he couldn’t believe that Scorpius was sitting beside him. He kept petting his son’s hair, adjusting the thick blanket around his shoulders, rubbing comforting circles against his back. The Malfoys appeared totally unaware that they were being talked about. “And if you can find out any details about what happened to your son, anything at all, it would be extremely beneficial to Albus’ care.”

“Understood,” Harry nodded. His eyes burned when he felt Albus shift with a pained whimper. “Maybe leave the pain potion. Just in case.” Barrow’s eyes softened and she placed a vial of shimmery blue potion on the table beside the Skele-Gro.

“Get some rest,” she said. “Lupin, Oakley. Let’s give them some privacy.” Oakley breezed out of the ward without a second look, but Teddy hung back, looking imploringly at first Ginny and then Harry.

“Harry, Ginny, I -”

“We’ll figure it out, Teddy,” Harry said quickly when Albus recoiled from Teddy’s voice.

“It’s alright,” Ginny added as she summoned a chair across the room to settle at Albus’ bedside. Teddy looked like he wanted to say more, but Barrow took a hold of his elbow and steered him out of the ward, their quiet murmuring fading as they left. And for the first time, the Potters found themselves more or less alone, at least since they had found Albus on the shore of the lake.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other for a long moment, thousands of unanswered questions passing between them, until Albus shuddered with a high pitched whine. He seemed shivery and Ginny didn’t hesitate to summon a spare blanket from the closet nearby. She gently tucked it over both Harry and Albus, being careful not to touch the wounds on their son’s back and shoulders. “What do you need, sweetheart?” she asked softly, her voice cracking. “What can we do?” Albus’ eyes were glazed with pain and he flinched as a particularly violent spasm tightened the muscles in his left arm. 

“S-Scorp…?” His voice was barely higher than a whisper, but Scorpius jerked up like he had shouted. “Scorpius?” Harry barely had time to catch Draco’s startled look before Scorpius was struggling out from the cocoon of towels and blankets he was wrapped in to stumble over to Albus’ side.

“I’m here,” Scorpius’ voice was thin and shaking as he sank to his knees by Albus’ face. “I’m right here, Albus.”

“R-real?” Albus was transfixed by the sight of Scorpius, his eyes wide with absolute desperation. “Please, Scorp… real?”

“Yes,” Scorpius choked, his face crumpling as he tried not to cry. “This is real. It’s all real.” Harry’s insides went cold as the implication of that exchange washed over him. Why was his child needing to be reassured that his experiences were real? Barrow’s worry about Albus’ mental state was all too present in his mind. 

All of the tension in Albus’ body drained away and he practically melted into Harry’s chest, his eyes never leaving Scorpius’ face. Albus slowly relaxed his grip on the front of Harry’s robes, his hand coming to rest on the bed beside them. And then Harry watched as Scorpius carefully reached out and touched the back of Albus’ hand. Albus immediately laced their fingers together, his eyes sliding closed with a shaky sigh.

No one spoke, not wanting to disturb whatever moment of peace their children had found. After a bit, Harry felt Albus’ breathing slow down and soften, his heartbeat growing steady and even. Harry hesitantly lifted his head, being careful not to move too quickly, and looked down at his son. Albus had finally fallen asleep. Ginny settled on the bed beside him, her hand coming to rest on his thigh.

“Look,” she whispered and Harry followed her eyes down to see that Scorpius’ eyes had slid shut as well, his head resting on the bed next to his and Albus’ intertwined hands. 

Harry’s heart ached as he was reminded of a familiar memory, of clear blue light filtering through the heavy curtains of Grimmauld Place. He could feel the sleeping bag wrapped around him, the uncomfortable way his hip and shoulder had dug into the drawing room floor. He could see the shadowy outlines of Ron and Hermione beside him, still asleep and fingers inches apart. 

“Poor thing,” Ginny breathed. Harry settled back into the pillows with a sigh, barely noticing that Draco had risen and was gently shaking Scorpius awake, helping his groggy son to his feet and over to the nearby bed. 

He didn’t mean to fall asleep, but there was something so incredibly comforting about Albus’ weight on top of him. Harry hadn’t watched his son fall asleep in so long. He had been such a cuddly baby, and Harry didn’t realize how much he missed it until now, the steady rhythm of his heart, the comforting rise and fall of each breath. Harry drifted off before he could think better of it, his exhausted mind giving way to a series of unsettling dreams featuring a familiar pair of bright red eyes and high-pitched cackle that Harry hadn’t heard in almost twenty years.

_________________________________________________

Harry didn’t know how long he had slept, but he found himself slowly coming to consciousness to the sound of his wife’s hushed voice.

“Draco, I’m going to go home to grab a few things. Scorpius, would you like me to bring you a change of clothes? You’re rather taller than Albus, but I’ll bet you’d fit into something of James’.” 

There was a slight shifting, a rustle of fabric before Draco’s voice cracked, “I wouldn’t want to impose -”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m already going to be picking things up. It’s not like I’m taking a whole extra trip. Please, it’s the least I can do.”

There was a silence before Ginny continued, her voice softer.

“Besides, I can’t imagine Scorpius is very comfortable in those damp clothes.”

More shifting, a long sigh. Harry could feel himself slipping back towards sleep, even though he knew he should probably wake up, contribute to the conversation. But he could still feel Albus breathing deeply and he didn’t want to risk moving and waking him up. And the bed was far more comfortable than Harry had expected and the next thing he knew he was forcing groggy eyes open to a dimly lit room, Albus still asleep on his chest. 

Harry blinked owlishly as he glanced around, noticing that Ginny was still absent and Draco seemingly hadn’t moved an inch, one hand resting against Scorpius’ hair. Something in Harry’s chest twisted when he realized that Scorpius was awake, his eyes dull and unfocused. It was still such a strange thing for Harry to see Draco Malfoy being so gentle with another human being, and Harry hadn't realized that he had been staring until Draco cleared his throat with a pointed look. Feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment, Harry quickly looked away and tried to busy himself by examining the potion bottles lining the table beside him.

“How is he?” Draco’s tone was so uncharacteristically concerned that Harry couldn’t help but look back at the Malfoys, caught off guard by the display of consideration.

“Not good,” Harry said, his voice hollow. He couldn’t bring himself to elaborate. Draco seemed to understand and he nodded. “And Scorpius?” Harry asked as quietly as he could, still very much aware of his sleeping child. Scorpius twitched slightly at the mention of his name, eyes focusing momentarily before drifting back to the floor. Draco sucked in a sharp breath and rubbed his free hand across his face. 

“The healers say he’s mostly fine. A little dehydrated, a bit underweight. He has a few bruises here and there, and there’s some tearing in the ligaments of his left knee and ankle, but it’s nothing serious,” Draco looked up at Harry for a moment, his eyes flickering down to Albus before darting away. A million different questions whirled around inside of Harry’s brain, everything in him screaming to interrogate the Malfoys to find out just what had happened to his son. But one look at Scorpius, pale and shivering in the bed, and Draco’s expression of barely concealed grief was more than enough to keep Harry’s questions to himself.

Instead, he distracted himself by counting Albus’ breaths, absently running his fingers through his son’s tangled hair. He lingered on the streaks of white, stomach clenching at the sight of them and what Barrow had said they indicated. Harry remembered his first trip to St. Mungo’s many years ago and his accidental encounter with Neville’s parents. He could see Alice Longbottom’s vacant expression like it was yesterday, her thin wispy white hair hanging in limp strands around a sallow face. Is that the kind of future he and Ginny had to prepare for? While it had appeared that Albus recognized him, his desperate plea for Scorpius to confirm whether any of it was real or not stuck in Harry’s brain like a dagger.

“What happened to our sons, Potter?” Draco’s voice cracked through the silence and the weight of his question hung heavily over Harry’s head. 

“Well it seems to me that there’s really only one person who could answer that right now.” Scorpius cringed impossibly closer into his father’s shoulder and Draco bristled.

“If you dare threaten my son again, Potter, I swear -”

“Not threatening, just stating a fact,” Harry said quickly. Just then, Ginny slipped through the doors of the ward, saving Harry from any further uncomfortable conversation. Ginny had a massive bundle wrapped up in her arms in addition to a rather large bag slung over her shoulder, which she let fall onto her chair with a solid thump. When she got closer, Harry recognized the thing in her arms as the large quilt that usually draped across the back of their living room sofa. It had been a Christmas gift from Molly the first year they had been married.

“How is he?” Ginny asked as she carefully draped the quilt over both Albus and Harry before she reached up to straighten his crooked glasses. “Any changes?”

“Hasn’t budged,” Harry yawned. Ginny fumbled around in her bag for a moment before crossing over to the Malfoys with an armful of clothing.

“James is a bit bigger than you, Scorpius, but I figured these would do in a pinch,” Ginny produced a well worn maroon hoodie that Harry vaguely recognized, a pair of joggers, and some thick woolen socks that were definitely knitted by Molly. Scorpius stared blankly at the clothing in Ginny’s hands, his eyes horribly vacant until Draco gave him a gentle shake. “I also brought you a nicer blanket,” Ginny continued as Scorpius timidly reached out and took the offered clothing, hugging them to his chest with a mumbled thanks. “I know it’s not the same as having something of your own, but it’s a right bit more comfortable than these hospital blankets.”

Harry watched as Scorpius slowly pushed himself to his feet, eyes darting over to Albus before quickly looking down at the floor. His mouth opened and shut several times, like he wanted to say something, before he shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom. Harry waited until the door closed with a definitive click before ever so carefully shifting Albus off of his chest and onto the bed.

It was no easy feat as Albus had tangled his uninjured hand so tightly in the front of Harry’s robes that Harry was sure he was going to wake up at the movement. But Albus’ exhaustion was so great that he didn’t even so much as twitch as Harry gently arranged the pillows and blankets before going to join Ginny by Scorpius’ bed. He pulled a chair over to sit next to his wife, who had settled across from Draco and was absently smoothing the wrinkles from Scorpius’ pillow.

“Has he told you anything?” Harry didn’t see the point in any sort of small-talk. “Anything at all about what happened?” He watched Draco’s jaw tighten as he sat up straighter and sucked in a deep breath.

“No, and if he had I would have told you.”

“Harry,” Ginny started, her eyes clouded over with something dark. “Could someone have taken them? Is it possible that there’s someone out there right now who did this to our children?” She looked towards him desperately before turning her gaze to Draco. “Are Death Eaters targeting our children?”

“We’ve already been over this,” Draco sounded tired. “As I said before, I am confident that this is not Death Eater related.”

“Malfoy, I know you said you were pretty convinced that this wasn’t Death Eaters, that they wouldn’t dare touch your son,” Harry felt something cold settle in his chest. “But you just told me that Scorpius is physically fine. Untouched. While Albus…” 

“Albus was tortured,” Ginny breathed. Draco flinched and looked up with wide eyes. “That’s what the Healers told us. Someone used the Cruciatus Curse on my son so much that he might be dealing with pain for the rest of his life.”

“But how is that possible?” Harry ran a hand through his hair. “They were only gone a moment. We watched them slide into the lake, there’s no way -”

“The time turner,” Harry looked at Draco in confusion, and then an uncomfortable feeling of dread began to curl in his stomach.

“I’m sorry?” Ginny sat up straighter.

“On the shore of the lake,” Draco continued as if he hadn’t heard Ginny speak. “That thing Scorpius exploded in the sand. I couldn’t quite see… maybe I didn’t want to see. But it looked very much like a time turner. But where would they have gotten their hands on something like that?”

“The Ministry,” Harry could hardly force the words out of his mouth. “I… I recently recovered a time turner from the house of Theodore Nott on a Ministry related raid.”

“But how… ” Draco immediately grew quiet when Scorpius shuffled back into the room, freezing in his tracks when he realized everyone was looking at him. His eyes were slightly red and his cheeks looked damp, but he ducked his face before Harry could get a closer look. James’ hoodie made him look even smaller as he hunched in on himself, the extra long sleeves folded over his hands like mittens. Draco reached out to him right away, and Scorpius gravitated towards his father like he was a magnet, grabbing onto his hand and letting himself be guided back to the bed. He settled on the mattress, burrowing his hands into his pouch pocket and tucking his knees up to his chest, looking every bit like the exhausted, traumatized child that he was.

“Scorpius,” Harry said as gently as he could, not wanting to be the one to start this conversation but also not wanting to be in the dark any longer. “I know how tired you must be, and I can’t imagine -”

“You want to know what happened,” Scorpius’ small voice was muffled by his overly large hood, but Harry heard him clear enough. 

“It would help the Healers treat Albus,” Ginny leaned forward, the corner of her mouth twitching up into a comforting smile. “If they knew what happened to him, they would be able to come up with a more effective plan.” Scorpius’ head fell against Draco’s shoulder.

“Can’t it wait until he’s rested?” Draco brushed Scorpius’ damp hair back off of his forehead. 

“No, it’s alright, Dad,” Scorpius kept his tired gaze fixed firmly on the floor in front of him. “Albus needs help. I - I just don’t know where to begin.”

“Whatever you can tell us,” Harry felt a rush of adrenaline flood his system, chasing away any lingering exhaustion he might have still had. With an enormous amount of effort, Scorpius pushed himself up off of Draco’s shoulder and took in a great shuddering breath.

“We… we stole a time turner. From the Ministry.” 

“You did what?” Draco’s voice was incredulous even as Scorpius confirmed what they all had been suspecting. “Scorpius, why on earth -” 

“It doesn’t really matter why anymore,” Scorpius said quickly, his face twisting up in shame. “It didn’t work and it’s not important. All that matters is that when we got back from what we were trying to do… everything had changed.” Scorpius had begun to chew on his bottom lip. “Albus wasn’t supposed to exist in that world, the world we created, and she… she took him away. She tied his hands and cut his face and… she took him away from me, ” Harry watched something dark flit across Scorpius’ face. “And she took his wand. It wasn’t hers to take so I - I took it back.”

Scorpius pulled his hands out of his pocket and Harry’s heart leapt when he recognized the wand he held in his shaking fingers. Ginny recognized it as well, a tiny gasp escaping her lips.

“I kept it safe,” Scorpius ran his thumb along the knotted handle before hesitantly holding it out towards them. “I promise I kept it safe.”

“She?” Harry’s question spilled out without thinking as Ginny took the wand from Scorpius’ grasp, holding it tightly in her hand for a moment and running her fingers along the handle just as Scorpius had done, before slipping it into a pocket of her skirt. “Who are you talking about?”

“The Headmistress,” Scorpius wrapped his arms around himself. “Umbridge.” Harry’s blood ran cold as Ginny let out an impressive string of swears under her breath. Umbridge. That horrid toad had hurt their son. That monstrous woman tortured their child. Harry remembered just how terrible things at Hogwarts had been under her rule. Umbridge had been prepared to use the Cruciatus Curse on him then. Just what did she have the power to do in that world?

Draco twitched, the corners of his mouth curling into a pained grimace. 

“We were separated most of the time,” Scorpius was staring at his socked toes, retreating further into James’ overlarge hoodie. “I didn’t see him until three days later in Dark Arts class.”

“Dark Arts class…” Draco’s jaw was so tight it looked painful. Scorpius nodded once.

“Yes. U-unforgivables. They - we were being taught Unforgivables that day. We had to practice on… on… well. It had only been three days, but Albus…” Scorpius squeezed his eyes shut. His words were becoming more scattered, more disorganized. “They knew who he was by then… His arm was ripped to shreds, his shoulder was burnt, and the bruises around his neck were horrible. He told me that Bellatrix Lestrange did all that to him.” Draco went very still at the mention of his aunt’s name, his hand freezing against his son’s shoulder. 

“Bellatrix Lestrange.” 

“That’s what he told me,” Scorpius shifted anxiously. “In class, P-Professor Carrow… he was… Albus was… they wanted me to - to _torture_ him. In front of the whole class and I couldn’t… I couldn’t do it. But by that point…” Scorpius let out a little choked sound. “By that point he was so familiar with the Cruciatus Curse that he could fake it well enough to fool even Carrow. Even m-me. I thought I had… I thought...”

“They expected you to use that curse,” Harry breathed, his heart sinking when Scorpius nodded in confirmation. “Carrow told you to use it on Albus.”

“And I tried,” Scorpius moaned, his glassy eyes wide with horror. “I couldn’t see another way out. If I hadn’t, they would’ve killed us both.” He looked first at Draco and then at Ginny. “P-please, you have to understand. I didn’t want to. I really didn’t - I couldn’t -”

“We know,” Ginny’s voice was gentle even though her eyes were sharp. “You did what you had to.” Some of the fear eased from Scorpius’ expression but he still seemed wary, casting a cautious look at his father. Draco, sensing his son’s unease, laid his hand against the back of Scorpius’ neck.

“It’s alright, my little star,” he ran his thumb across Scorpius’ skin in soothing circles. “Sometimes you have to do unthinkable things in order to survive. You did what you had to to ensure both your safety, and Albus’.” Scorpius practically melted into his father’s touch, his eyes briefly closing before he let out a long sigh. His voice was wobbling horribly, but he simply squeezed his arms around his middle even tighter and kept going.

“I managed to find him in the dungeons that night. They hadn’t fed him or given him anything to drink. His arm got infected and he got really sick… started hallucinating things… talked to people that weren’t there. I was so scared… I brought him some medicine, but it just wasn’t enough. His muscles kept spasming and I couldn’t make - make the pain go away.” 

Ginny’s hands slipped out of her lap and dropped limply to her sides, her lips pressed into a thin line, and Harry didn’t hesitate to reach out and lace his fingers through hers. He recognized her escalating distress easily, as he was certain it was mirroring his own. Harry’s heart squeezed when Ginny tightened her grip, her eyes never leaving Scorpius’ shivering frame.

“They kept me away from him for a few days so I don’t know what happened then. His hand… and… I don’t know. He just looked so much worse… But then… oh, god.” Scorpius’ eyes welled up and then he was sobbing, tears streaking down his pale cheeks. “They wh-whipped him in front of the entire school. At a p-party. A _party._ A celebration of pure blood and dark power. F-forty lashes… I thought they had killed him. Carrow kept g-going even when Al-Albus passed out.”

“Carrow,” Ginny growled, her eyes sparking with deep, furious loathing. “A Carrow whipped my son?” Her grip on Harry’s hand was so tight that it was painful. But Harry didn’t pull away. The ache in his fingers was something to focus on to distract from the rippling agony coursing through his chest.

“Yes,” Scorpius whimpered. “Under Umbridge’s orders. I wasn’t able to get to him until the next day and when I f-found him…” Scorpius closed his mouth abruptly.

“Yes?” Ginny prompted when Scorpius remained quiet for an uncomfortably long time. He seemed like he was having trouble with this part of his recounting, and Harry couldn’t begin to imagine what Scorpius could be remembering that had caused his sudden silence. 

“Perhaps that’s enough for tonight,” Draco said quietly, his knuckles white against where they were clenched in the knee of his robes. “It’s too much. Too soon. I don’t -” He stopped when Scorpius laid a gentle hand on top of his for a brief moment.

“I was so afraid that he’d lost his m-mind,” Scorpius said carefully as he pulled his hand back. “But he hadn’t.”

“Don’t…” Harry choked out. “You don’t have to give us false hope, Scorpius. Healer Barrow said -”

“He hasn’t,” Scorpius said fiercely. Harry was taken aback by his sudden intensity and fell silent. “I don’t care what the healers said. He’s not… he hasn’t… He’s sane, I know it.” Harry looked into Scorpius’ determined face, and he almost believed him. Scorpius held his gaze for a moment longer, before dropping his head into his hands with a watery sob. “I’m s-sorry. I’m so s-so sorry. I should’ve tried harder. I don’t know. I - I don’t know what else happened. But he’s so weak and s-so skittish and he hates being t-touched. And I don’t understand the potion fear. I… I was too scared to think… And... the - the dementors. I can’t… I’m s-so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I - I should’ve done b-b-better, been smarter. I c-could’ve gotten him home sooner.” 

“No, no Scorpius,” Harry said firmly, even though his mind was reeling. Potion fear? Dementors? “Nothing that happened to Albus was your fault. Without you, he would still be there.” Scorpius whimpered, his face screwing up as he tried desperately to stop crying. Harry’s heart ached for Scorpius and the mental anguish he was trying so hard to push through.

“Once they learned who he was, they were going to hurt Albus no matter what,” Draco murmured, his eyes far away as he wiped the tears from his son’s cheeks. “I… I know all too well how the minds of people like that work.” 

_He’s right,_ Harry realized with a sickening lurch. There was no doubt that Albus was treated as brutally as he was because of his name. Harry’s name. _How many more people have to suffer because of me?_

“You brought him home,” Ginny’s soft voice broke through Harry’s mental fog. “You brought him back to us.”

“I t-took too long,” Scorpius was lost in his grief, not noticing his father’s hands or any words spoken to him. “I let so many people h-hurt him. I can’t believe I was s-such a c-c-coward.”

“You did everything you could, and I am so proud of you,” Draco’s voice cracked and Harry was struck by how vulnerable and helpless his former rival appeared, trying his hardest to comfort his suffering child. Harry spared a glance at his own son, covered in bandages, bruises, and healing pastes, his face slightly scrunched up even in sleep. Harry supposed he knew exactly how Draco felt.

“Scorpius,” Ginny reached out and laid her hand against Scorpius’ knee. “You mentioned that you didn’t see Albus for three days when you first arrived. And you’ve said things like ‘the next day’ and ‘a few days’.” She took a deep breath. “Just how long were you and Albus in this other world?”

“Eight days,” Scorpius’ voice was barely more than a whisper. “We were stuck there for eight days.” Harry was going to vomit, he was almost positive. Over a week. Their children had been trapped in hell for over a week. His son had been in the hands of Death Eaters for over a week. Harry clenched his hand so tightly that he felt his fingernails cutting into his palm, the sharp pain anchoring his frantic mind to his body.

“Who?” He found himself asking. “Who was… who did…” Luckily, Scorpius seemed to understand what he was asking.

“U-Umbridge, the Carrows, a Euphemia Rowle, B-Bellatrix Lestrange,” Scorpius’ trembling worsened with every name he forced out until Draco shook his head with a sharp snap.

“That’s enough,” He wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders, and Scorpius practically collapsed against him. “That’s enough. He needs sleep.”

“Of course,” Harry breathed as Ginny released her iron grip on his hand, her eyes far away. He felt her absence sharply. “Thank you, Scorpius.” Scorpius barely nodded, hardly acknowledged anyone else in the room as he curled up in the bed, his eyes drooping shut the instant his head hit the pillow. Draco leaned forward to pull the blankets up around his son’s shoulders, and Ginny pulled herself to her feet with a little sigh.

“Here, Draco,” she crossed over to her bag, which she had left on the chair beside Albus’ bed, and pulled out a fleecy-looking blanket. “In case he gets cold, or wants something a little more comfortable.” Draco nodded curtly and took the blanket from Ginny’s hands. He seemed incapable of speaking, his mouth pressed into a thin line as he smoothed Scorpius’ hair back off of his forehead before letting his head drop into his hands. 

Harry was numb. He vaguely sensed Ginny approaching him, could barely feel her hand settle against his cheek. How could this have happened? After everything they had fought for, everyone who had lost their lives to ensure a safer world, their children were still suffering. His son had been tortured. Brutalized far more severely than any of them had been when they were his age. And Scorpius… Harry lifted tired eyes to look at the sleeping boy. The entire Wizarding world was safe because of a Malfoy, and none of them would ever know it.

“Harry,” Ginny’s voice was quiet, and it pulled him out of the dark fog that had been consuming his head. He looked up into her face, her cheeks were wet but her eyes were dry, shining with a hurt so deep that he felt it twist in his chest. “We should... ” and she jerked her head in the direction of their son’s bed. 

“Right,” Harry’s voice cracked as he pulled himself to his feet, his knee popping as he stretched out his aching limbs. “Thank you, Malfoy, I know that was difficult and I -”

“Please just go,” Draco’s voice was muffled by his hands. Harry stepped away; the desperation forcing itself past Draco’s usually meticulous mask of indifference was something he was sure Draco didn’t want him to witness. With a final mumbled apology, Harry shuffled over to Albus’ bed, stopping to stand next to his wife as she looked down at their son. He reached out to wrap an tentative arm around her waist and she all but melted in his arms, squeezing him so tightly that he could hardly breathe.

They stood there at their son’s bedside for a moment, Ginny’s face pressed into his shoulder and his buried in her hair, breathing in deeply and trying to suppress the sobs that were threatening to burst out. Harry squeezed his eyes shut until the burning went away, tightening his grip on Ginny and grounding himself in the scent of her shampoo. She was hurting just as much as he was, and he drew strength from her silent understanding.

“He’s a fighter, Harry,” she murmured against his neck. “He always has been. He’s going to pull through this.” Harry couldn’t reply. If he opened his mouth, he knew he was going to cry. Ginny squeezed him impossibly tighter. “Don’t give up.” They held each other a moment longer before a soft whimper from Albus pulled them apart. Albus’ face was twisted up in obvious pain. Apparently not even sleep was protecting him from hurting.

Harry all but collapsed in the chair by Albus’ head, reaching out to try and smooth the crease between his son’s eyebrows without thinking. As soon as he made contact with his skin, Albus twitched and let out a tiny groan and Harry yanked his hand back like he had been burned. Ginny looked at them with a painful stare.

“Scorpius said he hates being touched,” she sat lightly on the edge of the bed. “What sort of horrible things…” Her voice faded away and Harry didn’t have the energy to continue. They both sat in silence, staring at their sleeping child and listening to his breathing. “Do you remember when he was little, and he could hardly stand to let us out of his sight?” A tiny smile twitched at the corner of Harry’s mouth. “I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without company.”

“I would come home from work and you would be waiting at the door, two boys clinging to your legs, and you would look at me and insist that it was my turn, that you needed ‘one blessed moment of silence or I am going to lose my mind, Harry’.”

“James was just as bad,” Ginny smoothed the blankets near Albus’ shoulder. “I needed to be watching every single thing he did, because heaven forbid I pay attention to anything else. I was ready to pull my hair out bit by bit if I couldn’t get one tiny moment of peace and quiet.”

“As I recall,” Harry felt some of the tension melting from his shoulders as they reminisced about their children. “James wouldn’t so much as pick a toy to play with unless it had your stamp of approval. And Albus -”

“Oh, Albus,” Harry was relieved to see a smile begin to creep onto her face.

“Whenever you tried to have a moment to yourself, he would just wander around the house going ‘Mama? Where Mama? Mama go?’ until he found you.”

“He did it to you too, don’t you forget,” Ginny smacked his knee lightly. “He was inconsolable whenever you left for work. Would circle the house for at least an hour until he was sure you were nowhere to be found.”

“He was the clingiest toddler, wasn’t he,” Harry reached out to touch the back of Ginny’s hand, and she instantly laced their fingers together. 

“Refused to sleep in his own bed for an entire year. It was like snuggling up to a radiator, the cuddly little ball of fire.” Ginny looked at Albus fondly before her face fell, sorrow creeping in once more. “And now he’s afraid of being touched. _Afraid_ . And - and I don’t want to think about what that means, but that’s all my stupid mind can focus on. I want nothing more than to just hold him and comfort him but I can’t because those bloody fucking monsters hurt him… did _something_ to him… and now - now I can’t even brush his hair back without him flinching away like I was going to hit him. ”

“Gin…”

“I wish we could go back to their clingy toddler years,” Ginny’s voice was soft and broken. “We could keep them safe that way. We could keep them from getting hurt. I could cuddle Albus when he was scared, I could hold him when he was upset. That’s all I want… for my babies to be safe and happy.”

“I know,” Harry reached up to cradle the back of her neck, running his fingers through her hair as he took a deep breath, his stomach turning to lead at the wrongness of his wife’s distress. “ _Merlin_ , Ginny, I know.”

They were interrupted by the sound of the door to the ward creaking open, and Harry turned tired eyes to see who the newcomer was. An incredibly small Healer with close cropped hair stepped into the room and looked around for a moment, taking in the sight of Scorpius fast asleep in a pile of blankets and Draco still bowed forward and unresponsive before he looked to the Potters with a comforting smile. “Sorry if I’m interrupting anything. I’m Rhys Pembroke, and I’ll be your Healer for the night.” He made his way over to stand by Albus’ bed, and Harry didn’t miss the way his face pinched up in shock at the sight of their son’s injuries. Apparently Barrow’s report hadn’t prepared Pembroke for the severity of the situation.

“I’m just going to check on Albus, make sure the pastes and potions are doing their job, check his temperature and breathing and such.” He drew his wand and gave it a tiny flick, the lamp on the bedside table flaring to life with a warm glow. “Is there anything I can get for you before I begin?”

“Yes, Healer Pembroke,” Harry rubbed a hand across his face. He glanced over at the Malfoys before taking in a measured breath. His night wasn't over yet. “I believe we have some new information for Healer Barrow regarding Albus’ care.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll, sorry this one took a hot minute to produce. The state of the world sort of got into the brain a little too negatively. Still working hard, I promise! We've got no intention of leaving this unfinished. <3


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